tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474Wed, 19 Dec 2018 09:43:20 +0000taekwondoAboutCoachingself defencesparringbeginnersgenerating powerdrillsPhilosophysparkicksDan-gunCOGDo-sanblockspunchResourcesYul-gukWon-hyothrowsapplicationsstrategyChon-jifront lunge punchroundhouse kickIntermediate Beltschildrenfront kickside kickgradingkatastrikesHwa Ranghandlockshardan markiHIkiteTekkikarateself defenseshutoBassaiangles of entryChulgiToi-gyeUpper Blockikken hisatsulow blockcoveragereverse snap punchSenior StudentsTaekwondo Reaction Handbunkaicoachknife handroundhouse punchsoodostanceyoko geriyop markiAge-UkeChukyo MarkiGedan baraiOne Stepspatternsoodo markiNewsThe Martial Heartanti-bullyingtraining aidsArticlesChoong-gunfolding for blockoizukepressure point strikesblack beltnukitespearhandPo-eunSafetyback balanceblockbreakfallinghip vibrationmawashi gerimid blockteenagersAxe Kickback kickbackfistknee strikemae geritaller opponentsAffliatesChoong MooHealthHistoryInstructor Certifying ProgramKwang-gaeMartial HeartMultiple PersonX Blockclinchdrillgyakuzukiintentmental preparationpalm heelpoomseseitothrowukemivertical fistTraditional Taekwondo PerthJDK's Taekwondo Blog is a contemporary online journal of Traditional Taekwondo.
<br>Training methodology is the secret allowing modern practitioners to access traditional systems.
<br>JDK practices in John Leckie Pavilion, College Park, Nedlands, Perth, Western Australia.http://www.joongdokwan.com/noreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)Blogger458125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-8114096191014889777Mon, 17 Dec 2018 14:57:00 +00002018-12-18T09:40:51.083+08:00CoachingDo-sanYul-gukTaekwondo v Judo: Stop Someone from Throwing You<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jTQOSfmPisY" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />The above shows a video setting up a shoulder throw, and in the second part, the defence against the throw by manipulating hip placement and therefore changing the proximity between attacker and 'defender'.<br /><br />I was never formally trained in this skill.<br /><br />Yep, I never received training from my first martial art nor taekwondo on how to stop a throw from being executed. I was taught how to effect the throw, and how to breakfall. The throw we learned possibly wasn't covered in such detail - no wonder we always seem to resort to muscling through it. But we didn't ever think it was an option to disrupt the throw except for maybe trying to pull away with the body or pushing forward with the arms.<br /><br />Let that admission sink in while you look at what is otherwise a fairly detailed video on how the throw and the defence works, and how simple both are. It really is fairly simple.<br /><br />Amongst various ideas JDK presents - one key aspect of our training is this ... if we teach a technique, we should at minimum include at least one defence to that technique. JDK's approach typically extrapolates from this to then include various tactics that work 'either side.' These mitigate or disrupt the attacker, and then plug back into standard tactical responses. In this instance, when we introduce the hip throw at Dosan, we should eventually teach the defence to those throws; and we eventually see this as we look at the first initial open palm tension press from Yulgok.<br /><br />To be clear, the tension press is an excellent rank appropriate time for such a tactic to occur in our syllabus. But also to be clear, once a person learns this skill, it really ceases to be Yulgok's tension press anymore. You can shove the opponent's hip using your hand, your own hip, a knee, or forearm. It is more than one technique.<br /><br />I guess at one point you might ask - who taught you this and how can you identify this as Taekwondo? Well, if you want to know, a couple of very clever and highly trained Bujinkan associates of mine were keen for me to understand the structural balance of a body. These friends performed and showed us several very funky takedowns over many years - both unarmed and with weapons. They never did say, hey, do this with only this technique or only our sequence. It was never about limiting it to any one thing. So as I assimilate the concept to manipulate the skeletal structure, this was like a 'gift' from one system to another; no strings attached.<br /><br />When that happened, I then make sense of it within the framework of Taekwondo. This means I plug it back into the traditional forms structure, then include it as part of our skillset to be taught and to be drilled, and then cook up some clickbait title for a blog post. If you really want to know, ours is like a 'painting by numbers' approach - and is totally different to how it was initially shared with me.<br /><br />My hope is you appreciate my candor to see the essence of hardstyle training. That indeed we can learn skills that help round our own skillset, and help grow our art. When you can see it this way and if you agree that it doesn't rob us of what makes us who we are, send me a message to say hi.<br /><br />Cheers,<br /><br />Colin<br /><br />More information on my Bujinkan friends ...<br /><br /><i>Bujinkan Shibu <a href="https://bujinkan-netes-dojo.business.site/">Agoge Group</a> (25/3 Forward Road East Victoria Park) aspires to provide the best opportunity for its students and the community to train as both students and teachers so we can embody an ageless philosophy of theory and practice of the Martial Arts. We wish to do no harm, cause no harm and live in harmony. Treat others as you would like to be treated with tolerance, respect and a good heart. Walk through life with an immovable heart, be true to yourself, be honest with yourself and give more back to the Community then the Community gives you.<br />Dojo Cho Andrew Netes</i><br />--<br />[ <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/p/testimonials.html">Testimonials</a> | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTtxmXu7V442mzExnRSfg6A">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> ] <br />Please support us by liking our Traditional Taekwondo Blog's FB page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br />How does one get a mention on Traditional Taekwondo Perth? <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2007/06/how-does-one-get-mention-on-traditional.html">click here</a><br /><br /><h6><ul>Come play with us ... <br /><br /><li>Make basic blocks part of an indispensable close quarter toolkit!</li><li>Breathe life into your line drill.</li><li>Integrate easy throws into a hard style syllabus.</li><li>Endow simple kicks with (more) stopping power.</li><li>Tap into martial philosophy &amp; etiquette to get you into the zone.</li><li>Taekwondo pattern applications show the form is not there to limit you!</li><li>We welcome all styles, all ranks, and especially welcome open-minded practitioners.</li><li>Happy to also ditch training and just hang out. </li><br />We are located in Perth, Western Australia. But if you can't make it to us ... <br />Travel itinerary for our black belts in 2019 include but not limited to: <br />USA, Melbourne, Singapore, Manila, and Norway. Please inquire. <br /><br />To avoid embarrassment, please do not inquire about certification through JDK. <br /><br /></ul></h6><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/CfOFQq1xUYE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/CfOFQq1xUYE/taekwondo-v-judo-stop-someone-from.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2018/12/taekwondo-v-judo-stop-someone-from.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-1675474892476985338Tue, 11 Dec 2018 01:48:00 +00002018-12-12T12:43:32.190+08:00applicationsbunkaiChon-jiTaekwondo Limb Destruction<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nXXqIJIOSjw" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />Limb Destruction works a treat. It's easy to learn. You're not risking breaking your fingers on the hard corners of his skull. And most people can generate a good amount of force without needing to train too hard for it.<br /><br />I had a former golden gloves boxer come to my school about a dozen years ago, saying he wanted to learn 'something useful,' and how he's not seen anything worthy from other traditional martial art schools he's visited. So I decided to show him how basic blocks could be leveraged against a grabbing or striking arm. Almost immediately he started to flinch from the pain shooting up his arms. Then he turned beet red and started sweating. Like he was going for some super spicey ramen challenge. Well, he did ask for it.<br /><br />Our conversation following talked about the difficulty of teaching an absolute beginner how to punch. Not just throwing a balled up hand in the air. But using a punch as a tactical weapon in a real situation. And yes, we both agreed that it'd take about at least a half year to make an adequate weapon that would function well combatively.<br /><br />The blocks smacking against his arm though ... lol ... could be used almost immediately. Someone grabs you, you destroy their wrist. You numb their forearm. You render their bicep or tricep non-responsive. You hyperflex their elbow. AND you don't have to think too hard to get the job done. You just smash a part of the opponent's body between your two arms.<br /><br />In the video above, I'm setting up a defence against one step which uses not just one but two downblocks. The first one insinuates my arm inside the attacking limb and uses an underhook to then hold the arm still. The second down block or hardan markgi then is dropped on top of the attacking limb. You can strike to the back of the hand all the way up to the tricep or shoulder, if the angle and perspective permits.<br /><br />If you haven't figured it out yet, limb destruction isn't limited to this one technique. Anytime you have your two arms being directed away from each other, this is an opportunity to perform limb destruction. You have your opponent's arm sticking away from his body and is close to yours, or better still is placed across your chest? This is an example of what I think are 'non-techniques' within our traditional forms. It's only your awareness that drives this, don't you think? If you think of Taekwondo as only jabs and roundhouse kicks, you'll be wanting to step back and flick out that lead leg. If however, an opponent has an arm laid out across your body, and you spin those hips and happen to hyperflex his elbow or shoulder ... where is that located in the form? Or does anyone really care?<br /><br />The truth is that these fundamental skills are endemic or should be assumed present throughout the forms. I say this because there is just so much that 40 moves can really communicate.<br /><br />Keep training hard!<br /><br />Colin<br />--<br />[&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/p/testimonials.html">Testimonials</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTtxmXu7V442mzExnRSfg6A">YouTube</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a>&nbsp;]<br />Please support us by liking our Traditional Taekwondo Blog's FB page&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br />How does one get a mention on Traditional Taekwondo Perth?&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2007/06/how-does-one-get-mention-on-traditional.html">click here</a><br /><br /><h6><ul>Come play with us ...<br /><li>Make basic blocks part of an indispensable close quarter toolkit!</li><li>Breathe life into your line drill.</li><li>Integrate easy throws into a hard style syllabus.</li><li>Endow simple kicks with (more) stopping power.</li><li>Tap into martial philosophy &amp; etiquette to get you into the zone.</li><li>Taekwondo pattern applications show the form is not there to limit you!</li><li>We welcome all styles, all ranks, and especially welcome open-minded practitioners.</li><li>Happy to also ditch training and just hang out.</li><br />We are located in Perth, Western Australia. But if you can't make it to us ...<br />Travel itinerary for our black belts in 2019 include but not limited to:<br />USA, Melbourne, Singapore, Manila, and Norway. Please inquire.<br /><br />To avoid embarrassment, please do not inquire about certification through JDK.</ul></h6><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/SY6BXeKa2WE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/SY6BXeKa2WE/taekwondo-limb-destruction.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2018/12/taekwondo-limb-destruction.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-6570194961510174196Fri, 07 Dec 2018 02:55:00 +00002018-12-07T10:55:04.792+08:00AboutchildrenCoachingLittle JohnnyDear Parent<br /><br />Thank you for enrolling your child into our Taekwondo dojang here in Perth, and for taking the time to write that extensive email highlighting Little Johnny's social and emotional needs.<br /><br />There seems to be a misunderstanding regarding your role in the martial art training your son receives. As Principal of Joong Do Kwan, please allow me to address some of these issues:<br /><br /><ol><li>After an appropriate period of deliberation, I have decided to communicate to you that you are not in charge, and in fact I am.&nbsp;</li><li>You have your one child, own a few alternative parenting publications, and have watched Monkey Magic. I have 35 years in the martial arts world, written articles, been quoted in several publications, officiated for numerous martial art events, led seminars internationally, maintain a network amongst an international cadre of instructors, and hold a postgraduate Master's degree qualification professionally. Additionally, my black belts are competent, and well-respected in this region. I myself have two older, well-adjusted children. Yes, I would say that qualifies me to make decisions in my own school.&nbsp;</li><li>The buck stops with me on who gets to lead classes, what students do, and what level of intensity they do it at. If it seems like I've taken cues from our various chats, this is pure coincidence.&nbsp;</li><li>As instructors, we see kids 'go completely feral' ... mostly due to poor parenting. So when your child is in our dojang, and we want them to understand how things work in our school and perhaps in the real world, don't be a backseat driver. We are attempting to correct your errors after all. You want to help? Go through our training, and get ranked. If by chance you make it past the other coloured belt kids you might then be able to <strike>complain yet again</strike> comment about training.&nbsp;</li><li>I understand how you or your child may think I am intimidating - perhaps it's because I've spent the better part of 35 years training to hurt highly-skilled individuals. Saying that, if your child misbehaves in my program no one will hurt him.&nbsp;But I do reserve the right to tell him off, maybe isolate him from the other children for their safety, or to dole out push-ups or similar physically-beneficial exercise as punishment. No, this will not result in psychological scarring. And yes, he will be better for the experience.&nbsp;</li><li>If you need to keep your child away from training, keep him away for the right reasons. Your child is tired? Have him sleep earlier. Has an upcoming exam? Start studying sooner. Or has had a tough day? Perhaps take him off his vegan or gluten free diet? In fact, I don't believe anything short of a medical certificate excuses him from Taekwondo practice. Have commitment in developing his character, he will appreciate this in time.</li><li>I know you want your child to learn some discipline and self-confidence from us. But it's hard for him to do so if you&nbsp;distract the entire class by taking your sweet time to leave. Even worse when you and the other parents whinge about your first world problems: your travel plans, the cost of sending kids to private school, the Porsche Cayenne you're buying for when he gets his Ps, the leavers parties he has to attend, or however else you jostle for social clout.&nbsp;</li><li>Don't get me wrong, you have made some valid points that may improve our school and the services we offer to our members. At this moment, however we do not have the luxury to be all things to all people. If you want patches, go enrol Little Johnny in the Scouts. If you want better hydration, go get him a larger drink bottle. If you need to complain any more and participate any less, go latch on to another chardonnay-sipping 'parent's group'. If you want something less taxing for Little Johnny, try the Chess Club.&nbsp;</li></ol>If I have not addressed your original concerns or if you have found this letter offensive in any way, please feel free to escalate the matter by filling in this&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pdffiller.com/jsfiller-desk3/?projectId=242639415&amp;expId=4237&amp;expBranch=3#152c84d201484f848fafe69c40a80da0" target="_blank">Hurt Feelings Report</a> form.<br /><br />However, if you think you are best served by another martial art organisation which might better pander to your parenting needs, feel free to make the move. I am eager to support whichever McDojo you choose in their efforts to water down martial art training, provide a cheap and ill-trained alternative to child care, and delude you and your child by handing out meaningless belt ranks to support subscription revenue and 3 year contracts.<br /><br />Sincerely,<br /><br />Colin Wee<br />Principal<br /><br />--<br />[ <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/p/testimonials.html">Testimonials</a> | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTtxmXu7V442mzExnRSfg6A">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> ] <br />Please support us by liking our Traditional Taekwondo Blog's FB page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br />How does one get a mention on Traditional Taekwondo Perth? <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2007/06/how-does-one-get-mention-on-traditional.html">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/OQTFscf2AN4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/OQTFscf2AN4/little-johnny.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2018/12/little-johnny.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-5816440067369345850Fri, 30 Nov 2018 03:07:00 +00002018-11-30T12:35:02.344+08:00applicationsfront kickYul-gukYulgok was Never Meant to be Applied onto a Heavy Bag<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b3-DGfQqQP0" width="560"></iframe> <br />What is that music? And yeah, I see a front kick. But what does that have to do with Yulgok?<br /><br />You can practice a front kick all day on a heavy bag and be very happy with yourself. In fact, you&nbsp; could juice up that heavy bag with any strike. It's relaxing not to think. But your problem is your opponent is a thinking individual. He's not going to be coming at you 'just like this' or 'weighted on his back leg, throwing a beautiful side kick'.<br /><br />He's going to swear. He's going to attack. He's going to counter. And he cares less about the forms you've learned.<br /><br />So when I visit Yulgok- where early on we spin to the right, perform a middle block, then throw a back leg front kick - this is not just a kick to land on a heavy bag. I see it as an opportunity for my students to gear up against a thinking opponent.<br /><br />In this video, I perform a cross handed grab onto the opponent's lead arm. He will want to either counter my control and mount some attack, or pull back. Here he pulls back, yanking his arm out of my grip. This prompts me to follow his pulling motion back in, trap the lead arm and slam a forearm strike to his neck.<br /><br />Whilst unloading into this head-high target, I grab onto something. In the video I grab onto the lapel, but it could be the hair or the neck. I pull him towards me. Or I can tip him forwards to bend over. Then I deliver the back leg front kick ala Yulgok.<br /><br />Which I know is a sequence that doesn't look at all like the form ...<br /><br />... but <u>the</u> <u>form</u> <u>was</u> <u>never</u> <u>meant</u> <u>to</u> <u>be</u> <u>applied</u>&nbsp;<u>onto</u> <u>a</u> <u>bag</u> ...<br /><br />... just like how Beijing Opera Music was never meant to be enjoyed by the masses.<br /><br />:-)<br /><br />Keep training.<br /><br />Colin<br />--<br />[ <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/p/testimonials.html">Testimonials</a> | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTtxmXu7V442mzExnRSfg6A">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> ] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br />How does one get a mention on Traditional Taekwondo Perth? <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2007/06/how-does-one-get-mention-on-traditional.html">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/9JweUQRcDwQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/9JweUQRcDwQ/yulgok-was-never-meant-to-be-applied.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2018/11/yulgok-was-never-meant-to-be-applied.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-1163536180804269732Sun, 25 Nov 2018 23:00:00 +00002018-11-26T07:00:00.388+08:00Bassaiside kickWon-hyoA Picture Perfect Sidekick<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9NvJhwHZ5PM" width="560"></iframe> <br /><br />Sidekick. Side Snap Kick. And Side Thrust Kick.<br /><br />I usually refrain from talking about 'angles' or prescriptive guidelines for techniques. I've had this long held belief that banging on about angles and measures makes for a short-sighted practitioner. In fact my preference is to teach utility to the student, and for that utility to then guide the framework of their form. Basically ... make it work and then finesse it later.<br /><br />Also, a 'how to' or 'what is' video like this opens me up to criticism from every person who has an opinion of how things ought to be. Then it's a tug of war between whom isn't ready to concede, or whom is in a larger organisation, or whom has more time at the keyboard, or whom has submitted a better kickpic photo.<br /><br />Anyway ... here's me throwing out a few side kicks so we could clarify these techniques for grading. Beyond that however, we use these side kick techniques through different taekwondo applications to defend against attacks, to strip the opponent's cover, as takedowns, as strikes, and as counters. As we apply the side kick against a dynamic opponent, the kick itself varies, and thus these labels and their prescribed angles become only the preamble to something more.<br /><br />What I would like to say about the sidekick:<br /><ul><li>It is the most photographed technique</li><li>People love to use it to kick that heavy bag to make it fly</li><li>A sidekick to make that heavy bag move is not the best way to apply this kick</li><li>But it is the best way to get photographed with it in the air ...&nbsp;</li></ul><br />To ramp up striking power, the insight I have from using a strike post is to make sure that you are transmitting mass at the point of impact to deliver power into a target. It requires a knowledge of form to support the strike, of body dynamics in order to engage the entire body, and of kinetic chaining. Kinetic chaining is to link as much of your body structure, and to use that movement in order to support the end strike.<br /><br />If you time it right, the entire body generates movement and acceleration to strike the target all at once. It makes the strike 'pop' on the target. If you don't time it right, you dissipate this movement across time and space. While that bag looks like it moved a great distance - what really happened is you only succeeded in pushing it, rather than deliver maximum power into the striking area.<br /><br /><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YLdsC4VCJOs" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />Michael Jae White hit it on the head when he asked whether you wanted to push your opponent or finish your opponent. It's all about time and space, isn't it? You need to deliver the power stroke when you want to deliver it. Not just to hold it there, or push through the target.<br /><br />Related Links<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2007/08/won-hyo-side-kick.html" target="_blank">Taekwondo Side Kick of Won-hyo</a></li></ul><br /><br />--<br />[ <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/p/testimonials.html">Testimonials</a> | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTtxmXu7V442mzExnRSfg6A">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> ] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br />How does one get a mention on Traditional Taekwondo Perth? <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2007/06/how-does-one-get-mention-on-traditional.html">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/za-VNqly39Q" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/za-VNqly39Q/a-picture-perfect-sidekick.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2018/11/a-picture-perfect-sidekick.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-3613097051665732073Mon, 19 Nov 2018 00:00:00 +00002018-11-19T10:22:58.702+08:00AboutapplicationsBassaiCoachingPhilosophytaekwondoFailure is Just a Lesson by Another Name<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nndswSf4350" width="560"></iframe> <br />Have you ever wanted to be more than yourself?<br /><br />You know ... just better. Or stronger. Faster. Cooler.<br /><br />When I first started martial arts it wasn't because I had a grand scheme. I had no idea what I was in for. All I knew was what I saw from the television. That individuals who were trained in these martial arts were capable of amazing feats. They were brave, and unlike what you get from superheroes out of the MCU these days, martial artists were real. And there were places I could go to which'll step me closer to what I wanted to learn.<br /><br />Fast forward several years.<br /><br />I continued my practice and my journey, I gained some tremendous skills. I was young, fit and athletic. And the techniques I was capable of were fast, strong, and impressive. There were people who looked up to me because it seemed as I was ahead of the curve, I was making less mistakes than they were. At a stretch, my abilities even made me seem infallible.<br /><br />There came a time however, when I decided to give it all up. Not really to quit martial arts. But I came to the realization that I needed to stop using the same yardstick to guide my progress. I needed to break down the flimsy walls I myself created to prop up my own ego. I needed to challenge the assumptions justifying my concept of reality.<br /><br />Sounds a bit dramatic, doesn't it?<br /><br />But that is how JDK and our brand of Traditional Taekwondo really started.<br /><br />I wanted to immerse myself in our system to find out what it really offered. I was willing to put in the time ... to risk ... EVERYTHING. ANd I wasn't afraid of embarrassment or ridicule.<br /><br />Now, 35 years after I began my journey, I write this blog to share this story as a life lesson. When I first started, I wanted to grow in strength. In confidence. And of course ability. As I continued on this path, it seemed my expertise required me to increase speed, strength, and ability. However, there are limits to how far we can push human limits. To not realise such physical limitations is a delusion.<br /><br />Yet, nearing my 50th birthday I am able to see continued improvement in my own abilities. Despite injuries, and not training myself as hard as I used to do when younger ... in spite of age .... I feel I am a far better martial artist today than I was when I was a young black belt.<br /><br />And yes, it relates to what you see from this video. A dingy private garage dojang. Practitioners having fun. Playing with technique. Working at it playfully, in fact. Sharing of an unscripted training session. And then the knowledge that this video was uploaded on YouTube to showcase our approach to a well known pattern.<br /><br />It was no coincidence JDK has taken quantum leaps. But it's not because we did more pushups. Nor was it because we only showed things which are shiny and slick. It's because we had no problem making mistakes. We do play around with concepts. We explore. We really learn from each other. We don't mind giving it a go.<br /><br />If something doesn't work, we rework it. Or it falls to the wayside. And we work on something new. Then as we make new discoveries, we might return to rework the old understanding. There is nothing less serious about our approach. We deliberate. We have diligence. We are disciplined. Failure is a lesson by another name!<br /><br />Ready to come ride the&nbsp;<a class="extiw" href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%E9%81%93" style="background: none rgb(255, 255, 255); color: #663366; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px;" title="wikt:道">道</a>&nbsp;or the 'do' of&nbsp; Joong Do Kwan?<br /><br />--<br />[ <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/p/testimonials.html">Testimonials</a> | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTtxmXu7V442mzExnRSfg6A">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> ] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br />How does one get a mention on Traditional Taekwondo Perth? <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2007/06/how-does-one-get-mention-on-traditional.html">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/UKtoNLNdZrg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/UKtoNLNdZrg/failure-is-just-lesson-by-another-name.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0John Leckie Pavilion, College Park, Melvista Ave &amp; Stone Rd, Nedlands WA 6009, Australia-31.9879859 115.79130959999998-32.8494059 114.50041609999998 -31.126565900000003 117.08220309999997http://www.joongdokwan.com/2018/11/failure-is-just-lesson-by-another-name.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-7075003128222102984Thu, 15 Nov 2018 03:38:00 +00002018-11-15T11:46:26.010+08:00applicationscoachDo-sanspearhandtaekwondoYour Taekwondo Doesn't Even Look Like Taekwondo<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OsRVfbxomZU" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />Hey, your Taekwondo <i>looks </i>different.<br /><br />I get that a lot. Our training is compared to Wing Chun. Our technique interpretation seems to emulate Goju type bunkai.<br /><br />It's no secret, I often say that a 'style' isn't artistic flamboyance. It's training methodology. It's a school's approach to dealing with threat and risk. Thus, my style is labelled 'Taekwondo' and we do have legacy Taekwondo patterns. But it is also how we interpret our syllabus, how we assess risk, how we prepare our members, how we train, and of course what are our goals for training.<br /><br />So when a person says we "look Wing Chun" or "move like an Okinawan," it's probably because there's similarities in the various tactics we use or in our perspective of training. Really, it's not like I want to look like a specific something. Nor am I trying to say some other martial art is better than mine so I follow their lead. Of course, you can take it as a compliment to the relevance of the other style. I'm good like that.<br /><br />Actually, to be honest, the videos I've shared extensively from our training sessions are unlike anything you've seen from Taekwondo. There are very few high kicks, for instance. No trick ninja kicks. No K-pop dancing. No manic drills. And no aerial hijinks.<br /><br />But more so, yeah ... I would say there's the fact that the techniques we share on YouTube themselves look nothing like the patterns!<br /><br />What I know from many years of sharing these precious few moments is that they hardly show the context of our pattern practice. And, yeah, you don't get all the drills, the prerequisite buildup of skills, the complementary tactics that may make that video work, and my gosh, because all of these videos are done unscripted, whatever I say is said on the spur of the moment. Often I'll come back and would prompt myself to include issues or tips I want to share from a specific video. And then this tidbit is not associated with the video because, hey, it's not like I have unlimited time. I'm married with kids, don't you know?<br /><br />For instance, check out the video from 6:25 onwards. This should be the takeaway from the video, rather than the tactical value of the spearhand. Don't get me wrong, I think this lesson is not bad. The video shows technique, shows what to do whilst dealing with a dynamic opponent. But it doesn't include other associated lessons varying the position of the spearhand in relation to the opponent. What happens if my spearhand is over his left shoulder? Or over his right?<br /><br />This quick tappity tap exchange sure looks impressive. But it is the bane of Hollywood on martial arts training. I can move my hands fast! Wow. I can do cool-looking hand locks. I can do amazing kicks. There's a trend in Hollywood or throughout gyms across the US or social media, and we should then follow it! Right.<br /><br />There's always benefit to some training. Yes, any training. But going Hollywood will not lead you to the essence of a hard-style system. A hard style system is about putting down the opponent with tactics that make sense to your bag of skills. It's about mitigating the threat. Destroying their structure. Your training should be blitzing out doable tactics. It's a recipe - like baking a cake - so most of your students may have a fighting chance of serving up something palatable.<br /><br />This is the context of our pattern training - we preserve the pattern but we are not simply trying to visually emulate the pattern. We want to get to the mind of the architect of the pattern. Those guys who came before us who wanted our system to be relevant to all students. It is certainly not to preserve a 'look'.<br /><br />Colin Wee<br />--<br />[ <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/p/testimonials.html">Testimonials</a> | <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTtxmXu7V442mzExnRSfg6A">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> ] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br />How does one get a mention on Traditional Taekwondo Perth? <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2007/06/how-does-one-get-mention-on-traditional.html">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/0LEBCKQdDXQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/0LEBCKQdDXQ/your-taekwondo-doesnt-even-look-like.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2018/11/your-taekwondo-doesnt-even-look-like.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-4773617753521679342Mon, 19 Mar 2018 01:44:00 +00002018-03-19T09:44:00.907+08:00AbouttaekwondoAKATO 40th Anniversary SpeechTwo years ago I was invited by GM Keith Yates to speak at American Karate and Taekwondo Organization's 40th Anniversary banquet.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XSmwY-JRas4/WUXf0UZiYnI/AAAAAAAAFFg/PQJwT5_ei08O3JW9_4J_96oBnF--IsF-ACLcBGAs/s1600/AKaTo.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="227" data-original-width="227" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XSmwY-JRas4/WUXf0UZiYnI/AAAAAAAAFFg/PQJwT5_ei08O3JW9_4J_96oBnF--IsF-ACLcBGAs/s1600/AKaTo.PNG" /></a></div><br /><br />When I left the US, I was a young black belt. Over the intervening years, I started my own training groups, have expanded on my knowledge, supported my local and international community, and have developed a unique traditional training methodology. All of my effort however, I felt was propelled only by the training I received from AKATO, my instructors Bryan Robbins, Mike Proctor, and Paul Hinkley.<br /><br />So to say it was a huge honour to have been invited, asked to instruct, and then to address the audience, is an understatement. At the end of the evening as I was unwinding from the presentations of all these award, I was absolutely blown away to have been called up to receive AKATO's Instructor of the Year Award. This was a momentous affair - and I was emotionally affected and suffused with a great pride. <br /><br />The following is the speech I delivered.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WFCGtbwSu_w/WUXeKPhq1fI/AAAAAAAAFFI/CdNq0V49TFY1B9ZRH1UKYQX48tm-XrZswCLcBGAs/s1600/13083257_10206218788371619_6946856160996733852_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="898" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WFCGtbwSu_w/WUXeKPhq1fI/AAAAAAAAFFI/CdNq0V49TFY1B9ZRH1UKYQX48tm-XrZswCLcBGAs/s320/13083257_10206218788371619_6946856160996733852_n.jpg" width="299" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colin receiving AKATO Instructor of the Year 2016 from GM Keith Yates.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><b>AKaTo Speech Mar 19 2016</b></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">GM Yates, Grandmasters, Masters, Instructors, Fellow Practitioners, Ladies and Gentlemen.</span></span></blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">A good evening to all of you.</span></span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">In the 1990s I started under the then STA when I joined the SMU Martial Arts Club. Back then I remember approaching Sensei Bryan Robbins as a young black belt not really knowing what to expect and possibly carrying a healthier ego and relying on more acrobatic kicks than was good for my safety.</span></span>&nbsp;</blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rm45QWKXBz4/WUXeaipEYfI/AAAAAAAAFFM/L03SbtR5UvYJQmyM8aeSCPT6y73ZVbcuQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_1280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Rm45QWKXBz4/WUXeaipEYfI/AAAAAAAAFFM/L03SbtR5UvYJQmyM8aeSCPT6y73ZVbcuQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_1280.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is the effect Colin has on anyone. This is me encouraging everyone to strike a pose. From left to right, my former training buddy Master Jon Alster. My instructor Sensei Bryan Robbins. And occasional training buddy Tim Pugliese.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">It's been 25 years since I first stepped into SMU - and I have since gathered a generous network of martial arts friends the world over. But walking into the SMU Martial Arts Club for that first time, I might as well have been nobody. Yet, instructors of the STA/AKaTo took me in, and showed me the best of Texan hospitality. And I knew I was onto a good thing as soon as I was able to breathe out of my nose again.</span></span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">From when I left the US in the mid 90s, I've been proud to share the best of Traditional Taekwondo with whomever wanted to play.</span></span>&nbsp;</blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iVhaTM-XYeI/WUXe9njovNI/AAAAAAAAFFU/FOVZJjesH5cVaVhukHM7qY0JgTV0aZRogCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_1286.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iVhaTM-XYeI/WUXe9njovNI/AAAAAAAAFFU/FOVZJjesH5cVaVhukHM7qY0JgTV0aZRogCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_1286.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colin with his Karate instructor Sensei Mike Proctor, and training buddy Master Jon Alster.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">Now when I say Taekwondo, what I really mean to say is I practice American Karate. And when I say 'Traditional' it means I often act tougher than I am, I do way too many push-ups, and I wear black more often than other colors.</span></span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">I'm still hugely inspired by AKaTo instructors who've always been so generous of their friendship, and most importantly, generous with their knowledge. This afternoon, I ran a seminar peppered with Okinawan, Japanese, and Korean terminology. Yet many of the concepts I covered were learned directly from my AKaTo instructors - I merely filled in the oriental terms after the fact.</span></span>&nbsp;</blockquote><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WUxsPvAmzVU/WUXfRQfqfzI/AAAAAAAAFFY/_tnAEpxpWbET9XXw7eJNVWf3H6KnTZRJQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_1276.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WUxsPvAmzVU/WUXfRQfqfzI/AAAAAAAAFFY/_tnAEpxpWbET9XXw7eJNVWf3H6KnTZRJQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_1276.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are old friends, and then there are new friends - Ron Jensen flies in all the way to be my demo partner. Ron and I are online friends, and spend a lot of time on The Study of Taekwondo FB Group.</td></tr></tbody></table><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">I now live in Australia, which is a little far away from Dallas, but I jumped at the opportunity to come celebrate AKaTo's 40th Anniversary. It transpired I had to first shell out for the flight over, then find alternative lodging for the kangaroos in my backyard. Nevertheless, it is a huge honor to have been invited and I am so pleased to be here.</span></span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">Lastly, I can't be up here and not take the opportunity to thank a few key individuals for making my journey in the arts so fulfilling. You may know these individuals: my teachers Mr Robbins, Mr Proctor, and Mr Hinkley, my mentors Mr Tempesta, and Mr Alster. And of course a very special thank you to GM Yates for all the little things he's done to become a guiding light, not only inspiring me, but for so many other practitioners.</span></span>&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: &quot;arial&quot; , &quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="background: white;">Thank you.&nbsp;</span></span></blockquote><br />--<br />[<a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Taekwondo Techniques</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://traditionaltaekwondo.blogspot.com/2010/11/faqs.html">FAQs</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> | <a href="http://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">FB</a>] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">How well do you know Taekwondo?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Come take my&nbsp;<a href="http://colinwee.polldaddy.com/s/taekwondo?p=1" target="_blank">Taekwondo Quiz</a>&nbsp;and find out!</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/r8NF6f_OuVo" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/r8NF6f_OuVo/akato-40th-anniversary-speech.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Dallas, Texas, USA32.7766642 -96.79698789999997632.3496592 -97.442434899999981 33.2036692 -96.151540899999972http://www.joongdokwan.com/2018/03/akato-40th-anniversary-speech.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-7643468851486407283Sun, 24 Dec 2017 23:00:00 +00002017-12-25T07:00:00.357+08:00CoachingPhilosophytaekwondoOf Secrets and Hidden Techniques<div id="fb-root"></div><script>(function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_GB/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v2.10&appId=114024651973719"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk'));</script>Growing up, my <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuxia" target="_blank">wuxia</a> diet from comics and television introduced me to a steady stream of fantastical martial art abilities where practitioners could fly, regularly displayed <a href="http://flowingzen.com/9073/external-qi-transmission/" target="_blank">external qi transmission</a>, and the most adept of them were adept because of their unique 秘宗 (Mì zōng in Mandarin, mizong in Korean and Japanese). 秘宗 basically means 'secret system'.<br /><br />As a young child and my want to suspend disbelief, I just assumed that was how it worked because how else, other than for the presence of their 秘宗 would they be able to accomplish such feats?<br /><br />What made me stop to think about my continued suspension of disbelief was when I came across a book called Iron Fist - not to be confused with Marvel's Iron Fist. The book presented training in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yijin_Jing" target="_blank">易筋经</a> (Yìjīnjīng in Mandarin, ekikinkei in Japanese). To my superficial understanding, 易筋经 is a series of exercises and coordinated breathing to strengthen muscles and tendons, and develop a martial form of 內功&nbsp;(Nèigōng in Mandarin). That's like developing your chi but using it to manifest in physical form.<br /><br />Masters of 易筋经 were able to strike a series of objects and decide where the force of their blow would cause damage. From Hollywood, this ability was captured in Bloodsport where Jean Claude Van Damme hits a stack of bricks but only breaks the bottom one. In the scene this skill is wrongly identified as 'Dim Mak' or the death touch - which is an entirely different 秘宗.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wNibi-NWW4o" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />So 易筋经 was an actual martial art with reports of feats like the above brick break. This made the young Colin think that many of these special effects had some basis in reality. <br /><br />This unchallenged belief in secret systems stayed in the recesses of my mind and was a subject of curiosity as I grew in the martial arts. There were times where individuals claimed various abilities, and tried to associate their claims to this belief system. Eventually, as a growing expert in my field, rather than being convinced by their claims, I started to heavily disbelieve not only their abilities but their entire credibility. Even to this day I'd immediately question any BS about psychic ability, no touch knockouts, and generally all kyusho practices.<br /><br />My <a href="http://www.2empowerthyself.com/5-steps-to-rewriting-your-limiting-beliefs/" target="_blank">limited beliefs</a> however, met another challenge which would set me on another path in later life, during several seminars with Soke Don Angier (1933-2014) of Yanagi Ryu Aikijujutsu. Don was a genius-level martial art master and the most brilliant practitioner I have ever met in all my life. The YouTube videos don't do him justice but please research of his legacy. Anyway, Don (he insisted I called him that even though I met him only a few times), was able to do the most incredible and graceful feats - but was able and willing to explain each of them in terms which we could all understand. His explanation would often include various issues like biomechanics, physics, the way the eye perceives movement, psychology, and tactics.<br /><br />This was a man who was explaining that his 秘宗 had nothing to do with chi or magic. That his skills were entirely explainable by physics, and that each of us could do it. Yet what he did still looked like a cross between a Jedi mind trick and <a href="http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Force_power/Legends" target="_blank">force powers</a>.<br /><br />I was blown away. Here was a man who was not trying to deceive me by using my limited beliefs and assumptions. He was gifting us his insight - however rarefied it may be, in order to progress us as practitioners.<br /><br />Fast forward to my 34th year practicing martial arts. I am now at the point of steadily discovering 秘宗 within my system. Literally my growing understanding from training and practising has led me to hidden techniques I was previously unaware of. You could say this is the secret system within my own system. And I was led to their discovery by infinitesimal increments of my own knowledge. Forcing myself to test out techniques, to extrapolate from previous lessons, to use traditional training methods, and to mix and match from what I already know.<br /><br />Some of these 秘宗 correspond very closely to how I was originally taught, so in a way you could say my teachers did teach me this material either directly or indirectly, and such 秘宗 are their knowledge repackaged and drilled in different ways. Then there are other bits of knowledge where the connection is less direct, and you need to look at them on a conceptual level. In such a way then they do correspond to everything I've been taught including the patterns. They are the same and yet not the same.<br /><br />Now don't get me wrong, I'm not shooting out a laser light show from my fingertips or knocking someone out through my winning personality. All my 秘宗&nbsp;are doable, explainable, based on legitimate training, and are all tactical. In some instances, I might have snitched them from other practitioners. What? Snitched from other practitioners? So how can you believe that it's <b>your</b> 秘宗 or secret system. Well, it's my secret system or hidden technique because I don't believe the secret for this hard style approach is about esoteric content - I believe it is in the training methodology.<br /><br />To put it simply - hard style is a meat and potatoes approach to martial training. I'm not meaning to demean it, but it'll never be a Yanagi Ryu. It'll never be as epic as the bullshit George Dillman feeds his students. When you see things from our secret system, it'll mostly appear mundane and innocuous - because they are based on tactical need.<br /><br />Yet the 秘宗 is from our system transforms the way we understand the world. And it allows us to access other 秘宗 when we need it. It remains a secret to others just because of the amount of work we've done and the length of time it takes to transmit this information.<br /><br /><div class="fb-video" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/thefajinproject/permalink/1439971596041891/" data-show-text="false" data-width="500"></div><br /><br />Look at this video from the Fajin Project (if you can't see it, check out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/thefajinproject/permalink/1439971596041891/" target="_blank">Fajin Takedown Using Horse Footstep</a>). This is a clear example of someone understanding the 秘宗 of their technique. Both of these practitioners are doing the same series of techniques - an outside arm control, gap close, and takedown. The guy in the black t-shirt looks like he's doing a fairly good job of it, and for all intents and purposes, the application is not a bad one. But when the video progresses and you see the guy on the right (in the white t-shirt) ... you know he's just doing something different ...<br /><br />... There's a brush-draw and unbalancing of the opponent's lead hand whilst the back hand is ready to strike, then there's an open palm check of the opponent's body - which could have been a devastating strike to the back or side of the head, the leg is raised as a vertical strike to chin or to the underside of arm then is extended to strike the back leg, during the gap close you can see how his hip and thigh drives into his opponent's front leg, and lastly, the takedown could have easily driven the opponent face first into the pavement if he wanted to.<br /><br />Just because we claim to have 秘宗 - this doesn't mean that you are doing worse off than us. We have taken pains to share as much of our insight as we can. If you sight some of said special techniques - a good number of them might even appear mundane to you. As if their presence was logical, commonsense ... in fact, anyone could have seen that before we did. Well, if you sight them and they fail to excite you or if you've tried them and they fail to fit with your bag of skills - they are after all prized as *our* 秘宗, not as yours. :-)<br /><br />Keep training!<br /><br />--<br />[ <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/p/testimonials.html">Testimonials</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jdklibrary/?ref=group_cover">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> ] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br />How does one get a mention on Traditional Taekwondo Perth? <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2007/06/how-does-one-get-mention-on-traditional.html">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/4tJFQXQtn5U" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/4tJFQXQtn5U/of-secrets-and-hidden-techniques.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)1Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/12/of-secrets-and-hidden-techniques.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-322326356234073771Sun, 17 Dec 2017 23:00:00 +00002017-12-18T07:00:07.891+08:00self defencetaekwondoLethal Martial Art Training is Not Self DefenceThere's so much baggage in the martial arts. In <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/08/self-control-aggression-and-de.html" target="_blank">Self-Control, Aggression, and Deescalation of Violence</a> I discuss how the moral high ground of self-control can be self-defeating, 'defanging' the snake of your martial arts. In&nbsp;Etiquette, The Tenets, and the 道 of Taekwondo, I discuss how self-control allows a student to better access the combative nature of our training.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://opck.qhvsg.org.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2014/09/OPCK-B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://opck.qhvsg.org.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2014/09/OPCK-B.jpg" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="800" height="223" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />It is a difficult subject in this day and age. Many martial art classes are filled with young children whose parents are enthusiastic for them to acquire this&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/06/you-want-your-child-to-learn-discipline.html">mystical discipline</a> from our practice of Taekwondo. These are people have no idea about the realities of violence nor the idea that learning 'a little self defence' may fill their child with a false sense of confidence.<br /><br />Before he has begun his class, the instructor is already caught between the difficulties of verbalising his way through difficult issues, and an enamoured audience who doesn't really know what their children are getting from martial arts training.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://opck.qhvsg.org.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2014/09/OPCK-D.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://opck.qhvsg.org.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2014/09/OPCK-D.jpg" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="800" height="225" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />So let's just train martial arts to the best of our ability then. We do this with impunity: going to full extension on strikes, aiming one or two inches behind to make boards break, nodding at the right instances when the instructor tells us a particular technique is lethal, getting our game on during sparring until our bout has to be stopped, thinking that we've taken the moral high ground because we don't lurk in dark alleyways to pounce on unsuspecting passersby, and lastly, because protective gear and soft mats prevents us from knowing the full extent of our martial skills.<br /><br />All of which seems 'legit' because we are told to avoid fights and practice self-control.<br /><br />Yet all of which would contribute to getting yourself jailed because you weren't trained to use reasonable force. In fact you have no idea when physical self defence is warranted. Nor did you think you have a moral obligation to defuse a situation and back away. Think about it, the smart phones are out and what do the witnesses record? They might have first seen some people shouting at each other but they've got video of you using your karate chop sockey and dropping someone to the ground. You did what you do just like you did in class. Excellent, slick technique, but how does that really look on video? It would look like <u>you</u> <u>were</u> <u>the</u> <u>aggressor</u>.<br /><br />I train Traditional Taekwondo in a garage dojang. However lethal I think I am, if I really do want to hurt someone, it would be far easier for me to reach for the spade and use that against my opponents. That of course has never been my intent. If possible, I want to use the system to <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2016/09/etiquette.html">eschew unfairness and injustice</a>, to <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2016/09/etiquette.html">protect the weak and defenceless</a>, and to protect my family and myself. The practice allows me to gain insight into the human condition, I enjoy the physical exercise, and my little school gives me fulfilment.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://opck.qhvsg.org.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2014/09/OPCK-C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://opck.qhvsg.org.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2014/09/OPCK-C.jpg" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="800" height="180" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />However courteous and morally upright I go about my life, when things go wrong, I need to be able to think clearly despite any emotional turmoil. I must seek to defuse the situation. I must sincerely attempt to de-escalate to the best of my ability. I know that no one wins in an altercation. So I'm constantly reading the situation - I may already have my fence up with palms facing outward, and I may be slowly backing away.<br /><br />If things go south, I still attempt to disconnect and distance - putting objects in the path of my oncoming aggressor. I want to make sure I'm safe, so I scan the environment and perhaps look for equipment or weapons on the attacker that he might use on me. I also shout for the attacker to stop and to seek help or attention. A great idea is to ask the attacker some nonsensical question so the guy is forced to process my ludicrous logic.<br /><br />If however, this fails, then I get my cover up and to start to move tactically. I might attempt to slow him down. Or deflect the strikes. Or gap close, go for limb control or a hair grab. Or do a safe takedown and immobilisation. All this while still trying to talk him out of it.<br /><br />If your sincere deescalation attempts fail. If you could not control him with a lock or takedown, and you feel your life is in imminent danger ... this is when you go for your striking tools. It's not appropriate to strike someone if they looked aggressive and are walking away. It's not a great look to cross the threshold and king hit the bikie who's talking trash about your girl. Even if the person is holding a knife, but he's eyeing the door, not making a move toward your person, and is thinking of making an escape - you cannot use 'self defence' (read lethal martial arts) techniques on them.<br /><br />You also have to use reasonable force to only stop the threat. If your attacker is on the floor with a brain haemorrhage from the fall to the ground (you didn't think to hold him up), broken elbow from your arm break, collapsed trachea from the neck strike, and a subluxation of the knee from your low side kick ... well, your 'self defence' (read lethal martial arts) training did stop the attacker but the overkill&nbsp;<u>will</u> <u>fail</u> <u>to</u> <u>protect</u> <u>you</u>&nbsp;from the jury.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://opck.qhvsg.org.au/" target="_blank"><img border="0" src="http://opck.qhvsg.org.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/38/2014/09/opckfactsheet1.jpg" data-original-height="430" data-original-width="558" height="307" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />Don't fake yourself to think that people use self defence everyday and are wrongly convicted by the legal system. Don't fake yourself to believe it is better to be judged by twelve than carried by six. It is your obligation to understand how best to manage your own training. You cannot practice lethal martial arts with impunity. The training message must be clear - dangerous techniques must be used with caution, with awareness that they are to be used only when you feel your life is under imminent threat. To put it in physical terms, and I know this must be difficult to hear - the knife must literally be coming for you if you aim to shut down his airway.<br /><br />If you are interested in self defence skills you lastly need to train with awareness. It's not all about the absolute speed you can throw that kick. You need to be sensitive and you have to be able to read your opponent. Spar slowly. Take off the gloves. Get close and personal. Mix it up and practice in a multiple opponent environment. You practice so you should be able to answer this one question - what did the opponent do? In a court of law, other practitioners will testify that your Taekwondo or martial art training helps you become more observant whilst under duress. You can use this to make better reasonable choices. You can decide when enough is enough on your part. You can use this to justify your actions when it comes time to.<br /><br />Please research, seek guidance or legal advice on the use of force continuum.<br /><br />Please visit the One Punch Can Kill website at http://opck.qhvsg.org.au/ and support their community service message.<br /><br />Related Links<br /><br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/08/self-control-aggression-and-de.html">Self-Defence, Aggression, and De-escalation of Violence</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2009/09/distance-and-reach.html">Distance and Reach</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2008/05/taekwondo-and-self-defence.html">Self Defence - A Basic Taekwondo Perspective on How to be Effective when Fear Strikes</a></li></ul><br /><br />External Links<br /><br /><ul><li><a href="http://opck.qhvsg.org.au/">One Punch Can Kill</a></li></ul><br />Note: This article was submitted to <a href="http://totallytkd.com/" target="_blank">Totally Taekwondo</a> in August 2017.<br /><br /><br />--<br />[ <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/p/testimonials.html">Testimonials</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jdklibrary/?ref=group_cover">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> ] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br />How does one get a mention on Traditional Taekwondo Perth? <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2007/06/how-does-one-get-mention-on-traditional.html">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/hEKZ4OT6f3c" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/hEKZ4OT6f3c/lethal-martial-art-training-is-not-self.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/12/lethal-martial-art-training-is-not-self.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-3629611735919166259Sun, 10 Dec 2017 23:00:00 +00002017-12-11T07:00:54.295+08:00CoachingkicksWhy chamber a kick when we can throw it faster without chambering?A question was posed to me about the issues between how traditionally we are taught to chamber a kick, and then what you have in sparring where kicks are thrown without the chamber. This was my reply, edited to be read on this blog.<br /><br />From a historical perspective, and this might not relate fully to the chambering itself but may be of interest to your background, I believe I read somewhere that Funakoshi sensei was an advocate that the snap back of the kick was essential to deliver the full power yet reduce the injurious recoil or the vibration going back to your joints.<br /><br />From my perspective, the chamber allows for the full range of motion. This means that one can deliver a textbook perfect technique at the prescribed range and towards a prescribed target. This is a teaching approach for beginners, and for instructors to ensure everyone is learning the prescribed biomechanics, understanding angles of entry, and 'parameters' (my instructor's term not mine) of various fundamental strikes.<br /><br />However, for the sake of tactical delivery, the full range of motion is not always available or preferable. To reduce distance to target, it may be better to strike from where the tool is, rather than to bring it back and go for the full range of motion. Thus the end tool is picked up from where it is at, thrown at the opponent, and 'rejoins' the flight path of your textbook perfect technique at some point.<br /><br />Additionally, facing off a more adept opponent may require you to explore additional angles of entry - the practitioner is forced to adapt the flight path, while considering the framework provided by the various basic kicks, in order to fly the weapon through three-dimensional space and deliver its payload to the target, and not to the obstacles placed in the way.<br /><br />Lastly is the issue of <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/05/creating-new-upper-limit-to-your.html">makiwara training</a> and power generation vis a vis the chambered kick. Before I trained the makiwara, I powered most of my punches through shoulder rotation, speed, and effort. I lifted heavier weights to gain more muscle mass. I hit the bag like a boxer. However, when I gained insight through the makiwara, I understood that I could pulse the legs and hips, and send much more body weight through the core, and transmit that with incredible effectiveness into the end tool. This traditional training spurred me to apply the insight that power generation is influenced by <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2011/10/basic-taekwondo-kick-misnomer.html">transmission of body weight</a> at point of impact.<br /><br />For the chambered kick, and for all processes we get student practitioners to go through - this is as much for timing, as it is for biomechanics. The student needs to deliver the strike within possibly 2 or 3 inches - whilst throwing a technique at considerable speed and performing under duress. This means to be able to structure the body most effectively to time the transmission of as much body weight as possible whilst remaining tactically effective and staying in the fight.<br /><br />For this reason ... as a 47/8 year old practitioner, I am able to generate a heap of power whilst not having an equal amount of muscle mass as other students who are much younger and stronger than me.<br /><br />On a separate note, the act of chambering a kick has additional tactical use aside from delivering the kick. In this video <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvjf4u6bsvs&amp;t=2s">applying the low side kick from Bassai</a> I show a chamber for a side kick used to clear the lead leg. It could variously be used to knee strike other parts of the opponent's anatomy or defend against primary attacks. Similarly, the chambering of the front kick can stop another front kick. The chambering of a wave kick can cause the practitioner to defend the wrong part of his body - before sidekicking the knee or ankle. Etc.<br /><br />Something to think about - the chamber of the kick and its full extension lengthens the movement and stretches out the power cycle of the technique. Shortening the power cycle requires a fairly good grasp of its dynamics, and allows the practitioner to go for the zippy and punchy moves more appropriate in a sportive arena. Delivering power like this however, takes much more skill IMO. I'm not saying I don't see <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2013/04/slagging-mma-kicks.html">sloppy techniques knocking people out</a>. I'm just saying a correctly applied kick is not only hard to read but frightening.<br /><br />Anyone care to talk about chambering and combination kicks? :-)<br /><br />Links<br /><br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2011/05/ten-ways-to-improve-your-front-kick.html">10 Ways to Improve Your Front Kick</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2009/10/taekwondo-side-kick-retraction.html">Taekwondo Side Kick Retraction</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2008/02/calibrating-side-kick.html">Calibrating the Side Kick</a></li></ul><br /><br />--<br />[ <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/p/testimonials.html">Testimonials</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jdklibrary/?ref=group_cover">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> ] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br />How does one get a mention on Traditional Taekwondo Perth? <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2007/06/how-does-one-get-mention-on-traditional.html">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/jJzMFPwFfMQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/jJzMFPwFfMQ/why-chamber-kick-when-we-can-throw-it.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/12/why-chamber-kick-when-we-can-throw-it.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-1679840864094603472Sun, 03 Dec 2017 23:00:00 +00002017-12-04T07:00:08.743+08:00CoachingtaekwondoHow Traditional Taekwondo grows yet stays the same<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P0gsWQtW9ck/WY14Yr71rXI/AAAAAAAAGXo/A7Jb3Bz5TM89I6l2Zp-bjCBam0Rtn72cACLcBGAs/s1600/DSC04384_edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1201" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P0gsWQtW9ck/WY14Yr71rXI/AAAAAAAAGXo/A7Jb3Bz5TM89I6l2Zp-bjCBam0Rtn72cACLcBGAs/s320/DSC04384_edit.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Traditional Taekwondo instructor - very <br />much keeping it alive ... and real.</td></tr></tbody></table>A traditional art is a collection of wishes from long dead masters.<br /><br />The Traditional Taekwondo system - any system - however inspiring or epic in proportion and tale does not describe the totality of their ability. Nor of the totality of their methodology. To gain proficiency in fighting arts, practitioners need to follow their form, vary their form, and then depart from their form to realise its lessons.<br /><br /><br /><ul><li>Follow the form by endowing it with fundamental combative skill.</li><li>Vary the form by drilling it mnemonically.</li><li>Depart from the form by addressing our opponents' abilities.</li></ul><br /><br />This is how Traditional Taekwondo grows ... how it changes, yet stays the same.<br /><br />As a Traditional Taekwondo instructor, I feel the weight of our legacy. But this weight doesn't hold me down. It anchors me, and my role is to set my students free by allowing them to play with the system, challenge the system, and choose the best of what they like from it.<br /><br />--<br />[ <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/p/testimonials.html">Testimonials</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jdklibrary/?ref=group_cover">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> ] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br />How does one get a mention on Traditional Taekwondo Perth? <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2007/06/how-does-one-get-mention-on-traditional.html">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/Ltu2shxbaxk" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/Ltu2shxbaxk/how-traditional-taekwondo-grows-yet.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/12/how-traditional-taekwondo-grows-yet.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-6737453771888694236Sun, 26 Nov 2017 23:00:00 +00002017-11-27T07:00:11.211+08:00AboutPhilosophyYou can have friends in the Martial Arts industry?Whilst reading the interview on the back cover of Time Magazine, I had this brilliant idea to do a blog post if an interview of myself - yeah, written by myself! LOL. But then I thought anyone who knew what was going on would see right through that pomp. In a flash of brilliance, I then decided to ask other people questions about Colin Wee, and then publish it as a 'reverse' interview.<br /><br />Yes, there's no doubt I like hearing nice things said about me. But there was more to this exercise than having random people pat me on the back. Look past what they're saying, and reflect a little on the relationship I have with each of them; and then reflect on your own thoughts about meeting other individuals in the martial arts community. One of my respondents Kyoshi Gary Simpson for example, was trying so hard to do justice to the difficult question I posed that when he submitted his response he feared he'd ruin the relationship - what a gentleman.<br /><br />In my mind the reverse interview is probably more about the people I've asked and their own <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/06/tenets-of-taekwondo.html">jungshin</a>&nbsp;or their spirit. The subject of whom they're referring to is me, but their confidence, their surety in themselves, and their open heartedness could be a great subheader for this article.<br /><br />I'm proud of the collegiate relationships and friendships I've developed along the way. There was a time I was wary of opening up to the martial arts world. I chose to sequester my group, isolating it from the rest of the world. With that mentality my group was only as good as the extent of my experiences on a good day. When I shifted my mindset and allowed myself to open up - guess how much more I learned, how much further they could take themselves.<br /><br />I'd like to take time to thank Dan Djurdjevic, Ken Bac, Peter Wong,&nbsp;Ørjan Nilsen and Gary Simpson for their generosity of time, their expertise, and their support of me and my school - and also for indulging me and this little project.<br /><br />There are those out there who can provide you a moral compass, a benchmark for your own development, and insight into your own martial practice. How to find them? Well …<br /><br />… you just need to ask the right questions.<br /><br /><br /><b>1. What is Colin like as a practitioner? by Dan Djurdjevic, The Way of Least Resistance</b><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wU3p7nxC3j4/WZBc1qCxVWI/AAAAAAAAGYg/ycdb8p3MW4w5kkTTQnv-G6q3TUYNNqOZACLcBGAs/s1600/10649504_607394276055815_8039618526731560287_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="960" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wU3p7nxC3j4/WZBc1qCxVWI/AAAAAAAAGYg/ycdb8p3MW4w5kkTTQnv-G6q3TUYNNqOZACLcBGAs/s320/10649504_607394276055815_8039618526731560287_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GM Greg Henderson, Dan Djurdjevic, Colin Wee, Vincent<br />Cordeiro, Gary Simpson, and Nigel Farrier at the 2014<br />IAOMAS National Conference in Perth</td></tr></tbody></table>Colin is a very focused practitioner who never stops learning and developing his skills. He succeeds in keeping himself ahead of the current zeitgeist by asking questions others will only think of tomorrow, making him one of the few traditional martial arts practitioners who both remain true to their arts and keep them relevant in the 21st century.<br /><br />He is uncompromising in his intellectual honesty, invested as a teacher, tough as a fellow student and caring as a fellow martial artist.<br /><br />His measure of sensitivity to others, combined with his mental and physical toughness and thinking approach make him a formidable opponent and a useful man to have at your back.<br /><br />Dan Djurdjevic<br /><br />Dan Djurdjevic has been a practitioner of Okinawan Gojuryu Karate and Ryukyu Kobudo since 1981, &nbsp;a practitioner of Filipino arnis/eskrima since 1985 and a practitioner of the Chen Pan Ling system of Chinese arts since 1989. I became a bai shi of Grand Master Chen Yun Ching (son of Chen Pan Ling) in 2009 and obtained a master's certificate from him in 2011. I was awarded my 5th Dan in Gojuryu karate in 2016. Dan is presently the chief instructor of The Academy of Traditional Fighting Arts in Perth, Australia. You can find articles from Dan at his award winning <a href="http://www.wayofleastresistance.net/">The Way of Least Resistance</a> Blog.<br /><br /><br /><b>2. Colin's Taekwondo. Comment. by Ken Bac, Martial Arts Geek</b><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4d_31mzu0i4/WZBeQT7IKJI/AAAAAAAAGYs/gbs1Ugn_OagHbtyi8LgEb7X1HkMA2yRcACLcBGAs/s1600/SAM_1205.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4d_31mzu0i4/WZBeQT7IKJI/AAAAAAAAGYs/gbs1Ugn_OagHbtyi8LgEb7X1HkMA2yRcACLcBGAs/s320/SAM_1205.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ken Bac - extreme right, learning how to kick an invisible<br />person from the back of a chair with a roundhouse kick.</td></tr></tbody></table>I've known Colin for 8 years, being introduced by a mutual friend. Colin has helped me immensely in gaining an understanding and appreciation for real traditional martial art styles. I'm not a regular student of his, but he has been instrumental in developing my martial arts path throughout the years, so I definitely consider him as a mentor and 'subject matter expert' for all things martial! I have been doing other martial arts for the last 15 years including Taekwondo, Muay Thai and Choy Lay Futt Kung Fu.<br /><br />I have done Taekwondo before, but never seen anything like Colin's TKD before. I &nbsp;always had the impression that Taekwondo was very 'mcdojo-ey', a good entry level martial art but lacked the depth for serious practitioners. Colin has totally changed that opinion.<br /><br />His school Joong Do Kwan, which means school of the middle way, is a very apt name for his brand of TKD. It is both modern yet traditional, and bridges the distance between these two opposites extremely well.<br /><br />It looks at tradition in the way it focuses on hyung/kata, looking deeply into it and even tracing back the evolution of a kata or technique back to the Japanese and Okinawan roots to understand its context, and use some traditional training techniques like makiwara for conditioning.<br /><br />However, it is also extremely modern, with the classes even resembling krav maga's strong focus on self defense applications, and modern self defense concepts such as situational awareness. And whilst true traditional martial arts classes disdain 'competition' techniques, Colin's TKD delves into these sportive techniques whilst explaining how it can be modified for practical self defence purposes. (The school also forays into the occasional tournament sparring competitions.)<br /><br />All in all, an extremely good school, suited for both novices as well as serious martial artists viewing to treat martial arts as a lifelong pathway.<br /><br />Ken Bac<br />Fellow Martial Arts Geek<br /><b><br /></b><b>3. What are some of the projects Colin is involved in. by Peter Wong, Kidokwan Perth</b><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h36a1VLTU7w/WZBe4FmKjUI/AAAAAAAAGY0/xll6JKSck5wvKWJaEPF09PucmP3U6-KMACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_3124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1196" data-original-width="1600" height="239" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-h36a1VLTU7w/WZBe4FmKjUI/AAAAAAAAGY0/xll6JKSck5wvKWJaEPF09PucmP3U6-KMACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_3124.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colin Wee, SM Peter Wong, and Master Robert Ho - striking<br />a pose&nbsp;<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">after a training session at Kidokwan Perth August 2017</span></td></tr></tbody></table>I have known Colin for nearly 10 years after meeting him at a Martial Arts Instructors 'Cross Training &amp; exchange of training systems and techniques' in Perth.<br /><br />I found Colin a very knowledgeable and committed Martial Artist always open to new ideas and friendship. He is always very generous in sharing his knowledge with other Instructors and students. With his enthusiasm to experiment and develop new approaches, he has many projects going.....like organising instructors' training, videoing different training approaches, teaching children classes, writing articles for his Blog and many others.<br /><br />SM Peter Wong, 8th Dan<br />Chief Instructor and Founder<br /><a href="http://www.taekwondokdk.com.au/" target="_blank">Taekwon-Do Kidokwan</a><br /><br /><b>4. What is Colin like as a person? by Ørjan Nilsen Founder, Traditional Taekwondo Ramblings</b><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1EJSEkplU4Q/WZBgLMVpnZI/AAAAAAAAGZE/PmnY6ieTGMUdqR-E_MgoDIlPv0hVrXAZwCLcBGAs/s1600/18740702_10158779775145597_2186874805808346561_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="679" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1EJSEkplU4Q/WZBgLMVpnZI/AAAAAAAAGZE/PmnY6ieTGMUdqR-E_MgoDIlPv0hVrXAZwCLcBGAs/s320/18740702_10158779775145597_2186874805808346561_n.jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ørjan Nilsen on the front cover of<br />Totally Taekwon Do magazine</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Ørjan Nilsen<br /><a href="http://jungdokwan-taekwondo.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Traditional Taekwondo Ramblings</a><br /><b><br /></b><b>5. What areas do you think Colin can improve in? by Gary Simpson Zan Shin Kai Karate</b><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lCvoOZ4pubI/WZBfb4KlwUI/AAAAAAAAGY8/WYVG3bDztFswN6i1nKxGPKKS_n98ir42QCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lCvoOZ4pubI/WZBfb4KlwUI/AAAAAAAAGY8/WYVG3bDztFswN6i1nKxGPKKS_n98ir42QCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0010.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kyoshi Gary Simpson leads a class training JDK instructors<br />on Kata Jitte or 'Sip Soo' in Korean</td></tr></tbody></table>Gee Colin… thanks for giving me the toughest question of all to answer.<br /><br />OK, let me couch this in the knowledge that ALL of us can improve consistently in many areas, me included. This, of course, is part of life for those who are constantly striving to be the very best that they can with the skills and talents that they possess. Natural talent is limited but skills can always be improved.<br /><br />So, to answer your question on a personal level and this is just my opinion based on my own personal knowledge and experience, here is my answer for you:<br /><br />Practice kata EVERY day. Do it EVERY day, without fail. Do it on your birthday, Christmas Day, Easter, when you are overseas, on holiday, when you are not feeling well. No excuses! Be extremely disciplined. This is something that I have done (every day) since 2002. I would never suggest that anyone ‘should’ do something that I don’t do. So I am speaking from a position of authority here rather than so many of the martial arts ‘textbook experts’ out there.<br /><br />The benefit to you will be that your physical ability and overall knowledge of your art will soar. Your mental ability to analyse everything will heighten to levels that you cannot even imagine now. You will automatically know what will work and what will not. You will see everything in your art so much more clearly. Your reaction to any given self-defence situation will become instinctive, rather than rehearsed. This is the old way. The way that worked. Not purchasing dan grades from some pathetic grading mill and wearing high-rank belts that are undeserved and cannot be backed up with knowledge. That is delusional.<br /><br />On a more minor matter, I understand your deep passion for teaching others. You are creating a nice set of instructional videos. However, the videos you are making (again, in my opinion) are too long and too rambling. You need to limit them to 3 minutes. That is most people’s attention span which can be seen from most popular song recordings. They are all around 3 minutes for this very reason.<br /><br />If you do this then you will get your prime message out in a succinct and concise manner. Those who are interested will watch the whole video rather than skimming and scanning.<br /><br />Are we still friends after that? I hope so. You are a quality person Colin and I value our friendship very much.<br /><br />Oh, just one further thing for your readers. We met via association with our US colleague, Bruce Clayton of the San Ten Karate Association [and author of Shotokan's Secret], after both of us (separately) visited his Californian dojo back in 2007.<br /><br />Gary Simpson, Kyoshi, 8th Dan<br />Zanshin Kai Karate Do &amp; Kobudo<br /><a href="https://www.societyofmartialarts.com/" target="_blank">Society of Martial Arts</a><br /><br /><br /><br />--<br />[ <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/p/testimonials.html">Testimonials</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jdklibrary/?ref=group_cover">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> ] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br />How does one get a mention on Traditional Taekwondo Perth? <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2007/06/how-does-one-get-mention-on-traditional.html">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/sUif1unwkO0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/sUif1unwkO0/you-can-have-friends-in-martial-arts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/11/you-can-have-friends-in-martial-arts.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-7720920008325735530Sun, 19 Nov 2017 23:00:00 +00002017-11-20T07:00:13.144+08:00AboutThe Bruce Lee that I knew<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kj7qX5y8Gwo/WYKdjQoy0kI/AAAAAAAAGS8/CKMbu7UYKxYlEslYzURFlevWidhdb1BDACLcBGAs/s1600/gmr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="712" height="196" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kj7qX5y8Gwo/WYKdjQoy0kI/AAAAAAAAGS8/CKMbu7UYKxYlEslYzURFlevWidhdb1BDACLcBGAs/s400/gmr.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bruce Lee trains with Jhoon Rhee. GM Jhoon Rhee brought Chung Do Kwan Taekwondo to the US in 1956. Jhoon Rhee's first black belt was Allen Steen. GM Allen Steen trained GM Keith Yates. Keith Yates trained Bryan Robbins, my teacher. Given I also know GM Keith Yates, that would make it three degrees of separation, wouldn't you say?</td></tr></tbody></table>Bruce Lee was born 27 November 1940 and died aged 32 on 20 July 1973 in San Francisco. In 1973, I was a little less than 3 years old, living in Asia, and our paths would only cross through reruns of 1960s television series The Green Hornet and his portrayal of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kato_(The_Green_Hornet)" target="_blank">Kato</a>.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cTDpj0kSxOs/WYKejWBSDTI/AAAAAAAAGTA/mxGFRmuFPHAif8P4FJXo_rPLc7o_fVnNACLcBGAs/s1600/9134f200852b60e221afe18ea97c10e6--brandon-lee-bruce-lee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="177" data-original-width="236" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cTDpj0kSxOs/WYKejWBSDTI/AAAAAAAAGTA/mxGFRmuFPHAif8P4FJXo_rPLc7o_fVnNACLcBGAs/s1600/9134f200852b60e221afe18ea97c10e6--brandon-lee-bruce-lee.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bruce Lee as Kato</td></tr></tbody></table>Kato was the Bruce Lee that got me interested in martial arts. Interested in a lifelong path that would make me more than myself. I didn't see Kato as Britt Reid's butler, or as The Green Hornet's sidekick. I just saw Kato as a character whose travels coincided with The Green Hornet at that point in time, but who was adept and had the strength to go at it on his own if he needed.<br /><br />Kato was understated, sharply dressed, quietly confident, and could explode into action at any time. You'd be looking out for pensive energy in his alter ego, but there would be none. This is the way of the warrior, surely? As <a href="https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Miyamoto_Musashi" target="_blank">Musashi</a> would say "really skillful people never get out of time." Meaning one can move fluidly from gentility to crudity whilst keeping mental stillness - all you need is to keep it appropriate for the situation.<br /><br />And what of his fighting prowess? Compared to the action we see nowadays, this was basic choreography and almost non-existent special effects. However, Kato relied only on those skills against the bad guys. More so, his skills looked doable *and* seemed learnable.<br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZdhVjxQsAdM/WYKesWmHgPI/AAAAAAAAGTE/QiHx364orcIcCNI5AyMZeo9D-Oz1zaYjgCLcBGAs/s1600/a554432768f3d9a654c53be64b9ea66c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="778" data-original-width="932" height="267" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZdhVjxQsAdM/WYKesWmHgPI/AAAAAAAAGTE/QiHx364orcIcCNI5AyMZeo9D-Oz1zaYjgCLcBGAs/s320/a554432768f3d9a654c53be64b9ea66c.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another shot showing the exchange between early Taekwondo and JKD.</td></tr></tbody></table>Speculation of his death was ongoing in the late 70s in South East Asia. As a young child, I understood he had died, but was unsure of the cause of death. Some say drugs. Others would say he was cursed, a theme which played out well in the early 1990s movie <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon:_The_Bruce_Lee_Story" target="_blank">Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story</a>. From what I understood, the <a href="http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/film-tv/article/1884039/bruce-lee-curse-three-facts-which-will-leave-you-wondering" target="_blank">curse</a> arose because the name he was given unsettled the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kowloon" target="_blank">Nine Dragons of Kowloon</a>. While his family tried to appease the spirits to mitigate their anger, his fame meant the protection accorded by anonymity or misdirection ceased to work.<br /><br />Many would say Bruce Lee was larger than life. But I never really saw that side of him. To me, Kato was Bruce Lee. Someone who was normal. Nondescript. Believable. Someone who did the right things at the right time, against all odds - physical and spiritual, <i>and</i> without mouthing off. This was the Bruce Lee that propelled me on my path.<br /><div><br /></div><div>Related Links</div><div><ul><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/07/how-old-can-child-start-martial-arts.html" target="_blank">How old can a Child start Martial Arts?</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/p/colin-wee.html" target="_blank">JDK Chief Instructor Colin Wee</a></li></ul></div><div>External Links</div><div><ul><li><a href="http://www.therichest.com/world-entertainment/15-shocking-facts-most-fans-dont-know-about-bruce-lee/" target="_blank">15 Shocking Facts Most Fans Don't Know About Bruce Lee</a></li></ul></div>--<br />[ <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/p/testimonials.html">Testimonials</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jdklibrary/?ref=group_cover">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> ] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br />How does one get a mention on Traditional Taekwondo Perth? <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2007/06/how-does-one-get-mention-on-traditional.html">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/YOgMEg40dbc" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/YOgMEg40dbc/the-bruce-lee-that-i-knew.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/11/the-bruce-lee-that-i-knew.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-5056511772182811262Sun, 12 Nov 2017 23:00:00 +00002017-11-13T07:00:00.266+08:00PhilosophyEtiquette, The Tenets, and the 道 of Taekwondo<div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">2011, in kick starting IAOMAS back up in Western Australia, one of my ideas was to realise a National IAOMAS Conference. It was a brash and barefaced goal - for who am I really? I run the smallest garage dojang, and for many years I stayed clear of affiliations to any one group. So, only armed with dojang etiquette, the idea to network amongst other martial arts schools, and hat in hand, I embarked on my epic journey.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iXZw6a1iRZc/WT4ETo5Hr8I/AAAAAAAAFDw/852UAB-PGtk2GdWPRDnTgRwp5uIje0qpACLcB/s1600/IMG_0080_edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="318" data-original-width="1027" height="122" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iXZw6a1iRZc/WT4ETo5Hr8I/AAAAAAAAFDw/852UAB-PGtk2GdWPRDnTgRwp5uIje0qpACLcB/s400/IMG_0080_edit.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The gathering of instructors during the commencement address of the 2014 National Australian IAOMAS Conference.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Fast forward to present day Western Australia, I find myself with a small group of teenage student beginners, and one of the first pages I felt&nbsp; important to put up on my website is on </span><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2016/09/etiquette.html" style="font-size: 11pt;">Etiquette</a><span style="font-size: 11pt;">. Copying and pasting a good portion from other martial art websites, I make tweaks here and there to what quickly becomes a rather tedious document.</span></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">It just seems to have so much information on deportment and decorum. I've always wanted to be known as a pragmatic applications-oriented combative technician. Yet, here I was prompting people to iron their pajamas, clean their feet, and bow. No wonder MMA people think there's this huge disconnect between the goals of traditional systems versus the laser focus of MMA training. </div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">This was when I had a brilliant idea to look at etiquette during its most romanticized era - and I discovered that in medieval times, etiquette covers a huge range of activities <span style="font-style: italic;">including</span> combat. And as a list of what-to-do in various situations, helps ensure bravery in combat for knights, as well as their conduct in court. </div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;;">The <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2016/09/etiquette.html">etiquette guidelines</a> I was working on also seemed a logical extension for the other recent addition to my site - <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/06/tenets-of-taekwondo.html">The Tenets of Taekwondo</a>. Though the English word 'tenet' meaning principle or doctrine, doesn't fully explain the characters for </span><span style="font-family: &quot;microsoft yahei&quot;;">精神</span><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;;"> which mean spirit or essence - literally the 'core' of Taekwondo. </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;;"><br /></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LNu8Vy612y8/WT4FkuqXN0I/AAAAAAAAFD4/dQk5z5jzXH0RtsFxBO9bEmedYSNJluGUwCLcB/s1600/Tenets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="792" height="371" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LNu8Vy612y8/WT4FkuqXN0I/AAAAAAAAFD4/dQk5z5jzXH0RtsFxBO9bEmedYSNJluGUwCLcB/s400/Tenets.jpg" title="Tenets of Taekwondo" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Capture of my blog post on The Tenets of Taekwondo</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">So as the 'expanded list' or the extrapolation of the Tenets, I revisit my </span><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2016/09/etiquette.html" style="font-size: 11pt;">etiquette guidelines</a><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> and start to look at issues other than courtesy, integrity, and perseverance. I venture into the areas of self control and indomitable spirit to look at how etiquette impacts the practitioner's readiness for combat. And so I start to build my etiquette guidelines to ensure proper use of Taekwondo as a physical system of combat. Yes, I know many would rather steer clear of the use of Taekwondo for physical self defence - it is of course way simpler to just avoid the fight, and perhaps the intellectual difficulty of justifying brute force.</span></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">Self control to me is not just to prevent a person from losing control - most regular people don't have much of a problem with that. Self control is to establish discipline of the mind in order to maximise the focus for your training. It is to ensure you have long term dedication and not burn yourself out too quickly. Self control to me is also giving the student permission to become a vessel of their training - to respond with appropriate timing, distance, and power, when it has become necessary to do so. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cww_OfNpt40/WT4GYRdgj4I/AAAAAAAAFEA/YnMYNf1nRREOMorPy9qBLB9ZRlWolWBCwCLcB/s1600/DSC04575.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cww_OfNpt40/WT4GYRdgj4I/AAAAAAAAFEA/YnMYNf1nRREOMorPy9qBLB9ZRlWolWBCwCLcB/s320/DSC04575.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At another IAOMAS event - this time in 2017. Sigung Vincent Cordeiro leads a killer cool down exercise which causes my legs to scream in pain. Yet I don't move. Is this the only verification of my self control?&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Of course self control also goes hand-in-hand with the guideline that covers provocation, encouraging the practitioner to avoid, walk away, or deescalate. But in the end, when all that fails, the guidelines prompts students to "use Taekwondo to eschew unfairness and injustice" and then heralding back to Knights in shining armor, to "protect the weak and defenseless."</span></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">The permission to do the right thing for the right reason and backed up with the right training is a gift of warriorship. It is the idea of the 'Warrior Gentleman' which is the present day extrapolation of Knights and their code of chivalry, which many believe is missing or emasculated from our educational system or the culture in a developed world.</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">&nbsp; </div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">That tedious list of protocol? Really not much different to what you have learn after graduating from business school and then realizing&nbsp; the business world requires you to understand a litany of unwritten rules of where to sit, how to write, what to say, and who to carry. And what really is a burden is knowing those unwritten rules will chew you up and spit you out, they don't have your back, and they don't develop your indomitable spirit. </div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">In working on a published but early version of my Etiquette Guidelines, I received push back from a couple of black belt friends. The general concern was that taken to extreme,&nbsp; the guidelines may force you to push yourself toward physical exhaustion in pursuit of perfection of character. While I argued the page is labelled 'guidelines' not rules, they highlighted to me the need to ensure that duty of care is paramount and a dose of common sense is very much needed. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9QwaNCvFIEs/WT4HILzi-RI/AAAAAAAAFEM/vzwJr195dvkGSfnIeSiLD6UWCDRhkLxfwCLcB/s1600/11080712_951789194852254_3781963039258812237_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="723" data-original-width="1280" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9QwaNCvFIEs/WT4HILzi-RI/AAAAAAAAFEM/vzwJr195dvkGSfnIeSiLD6UWCDRhkLxfwCLcB/s400/11080712_951789194852254_3781963039258812237_o.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2015 Ging Mo Free Form Fighting - Joshua gets hurt, wants to continue the fight, but officials believe it better to stop the match. &nbsp;As a group, we still celebrate his participation. We'd rather him not be hurt, but we've done what we set out to do, and he put on a brave front and good show.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;; font-size: 11pt;">Again, this nurturing attitude is not a feature of MMA training. But no MMA training I've seen espouses the path of </span><span style="font-family: &quot;microsoft yahei&quot;; font-size: 11pt;">道 </span><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;; font-size: 11pt;">or values the perfection of character. MMA fighters and combative practitioners - seem to make </span><span style="font-family: &quot;microsoft yahei&quot;; font-size: 11pt;">道</span><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;; font-size: 11pt;">a mutually-excluded feature of their practice. We don't.</span></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">Which brings me back to my own practice. Counter to MMA banner shakers, the preservation of etiquette and the traditional training system I have sought to promote have allowed me to gain a measure of skill which I would not have thought possible after I left the US; especially not having direct training from my parent organisation in Dallas, Texas. Tradition. Etiquette. Protocol. The Tenets. All have allowed me to use the dojang and my continued practice to fully contemplate what has been taught to me of my art by my instructors and peers. </div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">I would certainly not be in the same place nor become the instructor I am now had I solely been trained for the spectacle of some boxing, a range of BJJ moves, or often poorly executed kicks done in the confines of a cage.</div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">It is difficult to convey the value of etiquette over its tedium. It is so much easier to 'go with the flow' and identify with the pop culture worship of trash talking, the need to define and laud the self, and to raise your worth by diminishing others. Until of course, people realize that they have obsessed in showing off so much about so little. </div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">For me? For the IAOMAS National Conference, I already knew I didn't have much to offer except my cheery self. I just saw that I had to take many baby steps to arrive at this very large destination. Eventually, this journey to organize what possibly was the best martial arts conference in Western Australia to date was only just another step on a path to meet and promote like-minded practitioners. For those who weren't there, in the 18-month lead up to the event, I coordinated multiple social events, had joint training amongst schools, hosted instructors at my dojang, engaged in constant social media interactions, and uploaded silly marketing videos of myself. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BF86BE0WNEE/WT4JA1yX86I/AAAAAAAAFEY/IA4eVXYV0bQXfRmykVwLKRbbEWiQkIYjwCLcB/s1600/10496171_859726150706268_8033711650230900671_o_postcard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="800" height="280" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BF86BE0WNEE/WT4JA1yX86I/AAAAAAAAFEY/IA4eVXYV0bQXfRmykVwLKRbbEWiQkIYjwCLcB/s320/10496171_859726150706268_8033711650230900671_o_postcard.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's the pre-conference barbecue at my place - originally designated for out-of-towners, but most would arrive in Perth on the day of the conference itself. Nevertheless we had a motley crew and had a good time. &nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;">But my real kung fu started to show as the date loomed closer. Out of the woodwork people started having their own ideas of how the conference had to be organized. This was where etiquette and The Tenets came into their own. I had to be able to pitch ideas, accept feedback, but sometimes continue with what I believed was needed for a successful event. And I had to do this whilst bringing together 70 practitioners, some of whom may not see eye-to-eye on various issues in the martial arts. </div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;;">Etiquette to me is not there to create a cult following amongst my students nor engage in politics amongst other practitioners. It is not a trick for me to establish power asymmetry. It is there to build a safe and nurturing environment, to practice in harmony with peers, to value character development, and then to have deportment befitting a confident and well adjusted person. This all is the&nbsp;</span><span style="font-family: &quot;microsoft yahei&quot;;">道</span><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;;">&nbsp;of Taekwondo, and people who value it regardless of their art, relate to it. </span><br /><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;;"><br /></span><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PPqQgFi8QPI/WT4KIwsagoI/AAAAAAAAFEk/oPehklBfrCATPnZt6NrPBRBEAPr0BpYvQCLcB/s1600/DSC04579.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PPqQgFi8QPI/WT4KIwsagoI/AAAAAAAAFEk/oPehklBfrCATPnZt6NrPBRBEAPr0BpYvQCLcB/s400/DSC04579.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The old men of martial arts (and some klingons) in Western Australia hang out after IAOMAS Masters - a closed door continuing professional development event held in my garage. Many of these gentleman have distinguished martial arts careers, are highly accomplished practitioners, and are busy tending to their own schools. YET they willingly come train in my humble garage with other stylists. How does this happen?&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div style="margin: 0in;"><div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">I invite one and all to visit my website at </span><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/" style="font-size: 11pt;">www.joongdokwan.com</a><span style="font-size: 11pt;">- there is a link to the </span><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2016/09/etiquette.html" style="font-size: 11pt;">Etiquette Guidelines</a><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> at the bottom of the About Page. I would be very happy to receive your advice and feedback on how to improve these guidelines in the spirit of the </span><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/06/tenets-of-taekwondo.html" style="font-size: 11pt;">Tenets of Taekwondo</a><span style="font-size: 11pt;">. Until then, train safely.</span></div><div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Upcoming Articles</span></div><ul><li><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">The Bruce Lee that I Knew</span></span></li></ul></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><br />Related Links<br /><ul style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-size: medium;"><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/06/what-was-your-worst-experience-in.html">What was your worst experience in the martial arts?</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/06/tenets-of-taekwondo.html">Tenets of Taekwondo</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/07/what-role-does-taekwondo-have-in-post.html" target="_blank">What role does Taekwondo have in a post 9/11 world?</a></li></ul></div><div style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><h3>About the Author</h3></div><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;; font-size: 11pt;">Colin earned his first black belt in an eclectic Chinese/Korean system out of South East Asia in 1987. He then joined American Karate and Taekwondo Organization of Dallas, Texas in 1991 where he has trained in and subsequently promotes Traditional Taekwondo from GM Keith Yates' AKATO and Nam Seo Kwan Taekwon Do lineage. Colin's research into Traditional Taekwondo, his continuing video series shared with international instructors on The Study of Taekwondo/</span><span style="font-family: &quot;malgun gothic&quot;; font-size: 11pt;">태권도의 공부</span><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;; font-size: 11pt;"> Secret FB Group, and his groundbreaking work with Joong Do Kwan, all comprise some of the most contemporary commentary on traditional Taekwondo hyung available today. How this came about? Colin's simple aim was to restore Taekwondo's links to older systems like those in Okinawa and China, and then to benefit from modern innovations in the sport.</span><br /><div style="font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;;"><br /></span></div><div style="font-size: 11.0pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;;">Note: This article was submitted to <a href="http://www.totallytkd.com/">Totally Taekwondo Magazine</a> in June 2017.&nbsp;</span></div>--<br />[<a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Taekwondo Techniques</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://traditionaltaekwondo.blogspot.com/2010/11/faqs.html">FAQs</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> | <a href="http://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">FB</a>] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/AcrmC2s90y8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/AcrmC2s90y8/etiquette-tenets-and-of-taekwondo.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/11/etiquette-tenets-and-of-taekwondo.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-7726040507545591060Sun, 05 Nov 2017 23:00:00 +00002017-11-06T07:00:00.210+08:00self defenceThings that Make You Go 武 [True Story]His lanky 6' tall frame hurtled to the lightweight foldable chairs, his arm held fast in a vice grip. His eyes were transfixed, the look on his face somewhere between a cheeky smile and a grimace of shock you'd get before you know something was about to hurt. As he hit the chairs, they clattered apart before his knee gave out and he landed on the wooden decking.<br /><br />I stood over him. I was still grabbing his right arm with my left, and my hand was wrapped around his neck. I was figuring if he had bear-hugged me just to take the piss, or if he was indeed drunk and trying for more than some rough play. But there was no fire in his eyes. I was looking at them all the way as he fell - it was that vacant look you get when you get TKO'd. There was no fight left - maybe even none to begin with.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DmOwIxeetzc/WX_eByAYjrI/AAAAAAAAGR4/UHrLEDC7CI4t66FrSutso3wb-BPWY7UogCLcBGAs/s1600/hqdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DmOwIxeetzc/WX_eByAYjrI/AAAAAAAAGR4/UHrLEDC7CI4t66FrSutso3wb-BPWY7UogCLcBGAs/s320/hqdefault.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Google search for Tiger Mouth strike to neck produced this winner from&nbsp;<a href="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/L25nqXFQY6g/hqdefault.jpg">https://i.ytimg.com/vi/L25nqXFQY6g/hqdefault.jpg</a>&nbsp;- we don't train the tiger mouth strike to the neck, but this was a perfect application in lieu of the 'Judo hold' where you grab the sleeve&nbsp;of the dobok and then the lapel. In the situation above, the opponent wasn't wearing a dobok - so his thin shirt would not have been an adequate purchase.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Still controlling him, I looked up at one side of the room, then turned around to the other side of the room. Must have been 30 guests in all. But in under three seconds, I had taken down my assailant (aka 'the idiot') and killed their banter. The silence was deafening. I survey their faces and read no other threat, and begin to contend with how this might look. I unlock the limb control. I ease my grip from his neck. In good grace, I also help him up. I keep my movements small and relaxed. Nothing to see here, folks.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gVQBLVbHf_k/WX_euizBBXI/AAAAAAAAGR8/FQyE_mMZWMI4MK4Gf1GMiyK0WWhyL9JXQCLcBGAs/s1600/maxresdefault.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="1280" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gVQBLVbHf_k/WX_euizBBXI/AAAAAAAAGR8/FQyE_mMZWMI4MK4Gf1GMiyK0WWhyL9JXQCLcBGAs/s320/maxresdefault.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's the BJJ version of the inside leg minor reap from&nbsp;<a href="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kjlpsAXmsrI/maxresdefault.jpg">https://i.ytimg.com/vi/kjlpsAXmsrI/maxresdefault.jpg</a>. We practiced this once maybe twice in the last two years, and in fact I can't find the video of it because it doesn't feature that prominently in our training. But it seems the skill is there when push comes to shove ... or bearhug.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The party was a private Christmas drinks and nibbles event held in a nice suburb organised for work colleagues. The threat anyone posed to me was minimal. The biggest risk would be a miss step on the split level. But the truth is - I am always on guard. It's worse in crowds and in public. It's not like I decide to be panicky or all pumped up for a fight, really. In fact, before I was grabbed, I was just standing there, relaxed and I was deep in conversation with my wife and her friend.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CzrhB6OB1u8/WX_fOu-Mt0I/AAAAAAAAGSA/-5eiB1jekgsVAlUNgOaH4-YhoZgMdzArQCLcBGAs/s1600/Outside%2BLeg%2BReap.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="1262" height="203" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CzrhB6OB1u8/WX_fOu-Mt0I/AAAAAAAAGSA/-5eiB1jekgsVAlUNgOaH4-YhoZgMdzArQCLcBGAs/s320/Outside%2BLeg%2BReap.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colin training a variation of the outer reap. The outer reap is a basic Judo technique they call an osotogari. It's introduced in our school at white belt level. As you can see I've stretched out the lead arm, and I've gone for the opposite shoulder to rotate him down to the ground.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br />The bear hug occurred. It wasn't an intimate cuddle. And I wasn't going to apologise, even if the incident deeply embarrassed my wife in front of all her colleagues. It was her colleague who grabbed me. He grabbed me hard. He knew I was a martial artist. He had a few drinks on board. And he wanted to test me out. We train bear hug defence, and one of the primary counters is a foot stomp to break the top of the assailant's foot. Had I done that I still wouldn't feel guilty nor would I apologise. From that perspective, he is lucky that I chose to instead pinch the inside of his thigh. His yelp of pain registered in my consciousness but the force of being grabbed got me into that state the Japanese call mushin - no mind.<br /><br />I turned and I could see his face, and I was trying to recognise who he was. My mind was jacked up and time started to flow differently. I had already gone for lead arm control, and then started to stretch him out with the neck grab. And to fell him, I did an inside leg reap - what Judo would call a inside leg minor reap throw. Nothing could stop me - I was in the zone and it was that scene from the Last Samurai.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7iIUovh9lUg/WX_f1npvyPI/AAAAAAAAGSE/NFGnI4LNvKsbL-AP_IMbpv4XTgF1BTFCACLcBGAs/s1600/Outside%2BLeg%2BMinor%2BReap.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="290" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7iIUovh9lUg/WX_f1npvyPI/AAAAAAAAGSE/NFGnI4LNvKsbL-AP_IMbpv4XTgF1BTFCACLcBGAs/s320/Outside%2BLeg%2BMinor%2BReap.PNG" width="262" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is a screenshot of a outside leg minor reap done during a sparring session with Josh. My apologies for the poor resolution - had to zoom in. Josh was trying to do a takedown from neck level, and I reversed body position and went for his outside leg. This was a similar technique to 'Christmas Party Takedown'.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />These were not exact moves specifically trained for a situation where idiot-bear-hugs-you-at-a-party. We do go for arm control, and we do go for takedowns. I could even say that the takedown is similar to the leg reap we do for beginners learning Chonji. But it wasn't a prescribed technique that brought him down, it was '精神' (Jīngshén) spirit which did. There is always a psychological element to a fight - in that instant when he slammed into me, my 精神 met and overwhelmed his. Techniques were secondary.<br /><br />Don't mistake this as an issue of loss of self control or of poor technique. If there was a loss of self control, I would have continued until he was unconscious. I wouldn't have tried to measure his fighting spirit from the look in his eyes. I wouldn't have asked if he was alright as he was pinned on the ground. Self control is as much about honing yourself into a weapon, a precision tool for your art. And in this case, correct self control was used to destroy the opponent's 精神.<br /><br />As for technique - I took down a six foot tall guy without muscling him. It would not have been smoother had the entire thing been cooked up at the dojang. I owned it.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PBiW7iY25Fc/WX_pzq93OII/AAAAAAAAGSQ/k7m3MmrlpR4DMkYgumbaaGEjrs5Mt6y1gCLcBGAs/s1600/Inside%2BLeg%2BMinor%2BReap.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="558" data-original-width="681" height="262" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PBiW7iY25Fc/WX_pzq93OII/AAAAAAAAGSQ/k7m3MmrlpR4DMkYgumbaaGEjrs5Mt6y1gCLcBGAs/s320/Inside%2BLeg%2BMinor%2BReap.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's it - found it. Inside leg minor reap. We practiced that once, and I finally found the video dated August 3 2016. The technique was used as a counter toward a failed single leg grab and takedown. As you can see Niaal has got my neck or shoulder locked up and applying downward pressure on my body - the technique cuts his legs out from under him.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Back to the party. I'm now astutely avoiding the occasional nervous glances from the other guests and trying to ignore the change of mood in the room. I get to talk with my drunk friend, who was sobering up after the cold shock of being manhandled. &nbsp;I again banter with him, and measuring my breath so I don't shake too much from the adrenaline leaving the body.<br /><br />It is an unfortunate situation. People in my part of the world are surrounded with the luxury of affluence and peace, and don't understand my particular path nor the practice of martial arts. A 'friend' sought to test out those reflexes. To simply see how I'd react. Unfortunately no one knew it was going to happen, and merely saw what they saw. And what they heard was a loud crash with me standing over a downed colleague of theirs. I had his arm grabbed, and my hand was around his throat. Not a pretty sight. Definitely not appropriate for a social gathering organised at the department head's house.<br /><br />There were only two people who witnessed the entire thing unfold - my wife and her colleague. And yet, even my wife had to be convinced by the feedback (read 'gossip') from other colleagues over the ensuring months that her husband correctly defended himself.<br /><br />At the end of the evening, as I readied to leave and said my goodbyes, there was tension in the room with my proximity. They were skitterish. They were wary. And I don't blame them. But that doesn't change my mind about my reaction. Given the same situation, I would happily go for more force not less. Self defence is not about what people think of you, it's ensuring that you respond correctly to your safety. Your family's safety. Get complacent and that could dull your readiness. Second guess yourself and you become imprecise.<br /><br />Note: This article was titled 'Things that Make You Go 武,' submitted to <a href="http://totallytkd.com/">Totally Taekwondo</a> August 1 2017, and published September 2017 in issue 103. It has been modified and republished on this blog Nov 6 &nbsp;2018.<br /><br />Upcoming Articles<br /><div><ul><li><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">The Bruce Lee that I Knew</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;;"><span style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 14.6667px;">Etiquette, The Tenets, and the 道 of Taekwondo</span></span></li><li><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;;"><span style="font-family: calibri; font-size: 14.6667px;">You can have friends in the Martial Arts industry?</span></span></li></ul></div><br /><br />Related Links<br /><br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/07/what-role-does-taekwondo-have-in-post.html">What role does Taekwondo have in a Post 9/11 World?</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2012/05/story-about-saving-little-girl.html">A Story about Saving a Little Girl</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2012/05/knife-defence-by-hanshi-tim-white.html">Knife Defence by Hanshi Tim White</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2012/05/overwhelm-opponent.html">Overwhelm the Opponent</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/08/self-control-aggression-and-de.html">Self Control, Aggression and Deescalation of Violence</a></li></ul><br /><br />--<br />[ <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/p/testimonials.html">Testimonials</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jdklibrary/?ref=group_cover">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> ] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br />How does one get a mention on Traditional Taekwondo Perth? <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2007/06/how-does-one-get-mention-on-traditional.html">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/uvOmXoh-K0c" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/uvOmXoh-K0c/things-that-make-you-go-true-story.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/11/things-that-make-you-go-true-story.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-9019063849098045362Sun, 29 Oct 2017 23:00:00 +00002017-10-30T07:00:02.072+08:00Depression, Symptoms And Its Treatment From the Martial Arts Perspective<a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/08/toughness-emotional-connection-and-male.html">Toughness, Emotional Connection, and Male Depression</a> published August 8 2017 was an article inspired by a local radio program Heidi, Will, and Woody. There was candour in this episode, and some raw emotions. And in a bid to increase public awareness, the deejays spurred celebrities to share times of sorrow and their personal admission that they too have cried.<br /><br />With a greater exposure to people who suffered depressive disorders, I now know that depression isn't 'sadness' - which was my younger misconception of this condition. For many years, I reflected on my own understanding of sadness and the transiency of this emotion. I overlaid this flawed understanding on what I believed was depression. From what I know now, while depression does cause "feelings of sadness, and/or loss of interest in activities once enjoyed" the opposite of depression isn't 'happiness', it is clarity (<a href="https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/depression/what-is-depression" target="_blank">APA</a>).<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iNOE0dZpHcY" width="560"></iframe><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">Dolph Lundgren shares his personal pain from physical abuse, and the benefits he reaped from martial arts and counselling.&nbsp;</span><br /><br />When I recently reached out to fellow martial arts bloggers, I did so without any real plan of how such collaboration was going to take place. But when my online friend&nbsp;<a href="http://fistinthefrost.blogspot.com.au/" target="_blank">Fist in the Frost</a>&nbsp;saw that I was working that first Male Depression article, he pushed me to discussing ways we could improve awareness of this issue.<br /><br />While the martial arts industry and personalities have many faults sometimes influenced by ego and at other times by the greed for money, most in the martial arts have faith and a deep conviction that through training and practice, the extremes of our experience of the human condition can be improved. Their help however is often non-directed, ill-informed, and unfortunately poorly educated.<br /><br />The following is the article written by Fist in the Frost. He wrote it from his experience both as a counsellor and a martial artist. And I must thank him for taking the initiative with this disorder. When you are done, please visit the original article <a href="http://fistinthefrost.blogspot.com.au/2017/08/depression-stuff.html" target="_blank">Depression Stuff</a>, and say hi. Then check through the links I've included after the article on martial arts and depression. Then lastly - share this article on FB. People who are depressed may not show you. May not know how to show you. You must give them the opportunity to come forward. Male or female.<br /><br /><hr /><br /><h3>Depression, Symptoms And Its Treatment From the Martial Arts Perspective</h3>Generally speaking, we all have ups and downs throughout the day, week, and season. &nbsp;Most folks are not usually aware of the moods that pass by if they are fleeting and mild. We tend to become aware of our emotional state when it starts impacting our quality of life. &nbsp;Because of cultural influence, this article focuses on the Western male. &nbsp;I can’t speak to other cultures but I can imagine in most patriarchal ones the emotional response is similar.<br /><br />Although the polar opposite of depression is mania, we’ll focus on depression because it’s generally considered to be the more impactful of the two. &nbsp;That’s not to say that intense periods of mania aren’t destructive in their own way, but for the most part, it’s not generally considered bad during the initial stages.<br /><br />In contrast, depression has noticeable symptomology that can be sometimes confused with a physical problem. &nbsp;Some symptoms can be a lack of energy, an inability to empathize with others, lack of appetite and disrupted sleep patterns. <br /><br />Depression traditionally comes from one of three sources; environmental, physical or psychological. &nbsp;For people living in the North, the environmental effects of being in a situation where there is little to no light for long portions of the year can cause depression. &nbsp;Physical causes are usually attributed to head injury, but other neurological problems can cause the same symptoms. &nbsp;The final cause is psychological. &nbsp;The traditional reason is that there is an issue that is avoided, so it &nbsp;manifests in some form. &nbsp;In many cases, this turns out to be depression.<br /><br />The ability to treat depression can be very difficult. Traditional therapies include medication and therapy. &nbsp;The therapy is conversation based analysis and can often take a long time for the patient to develop insight into the cause. &nbsp;If the patient is introduced into the process through doctors visit, the first thing that’s evaluated is the amount of sleep and activity the person has. &nbsp;If they are seen as a deficit in these areas, the doctors will prescribe medications to allow for sleep at the very least. Currently, those who have been diagnosed with depression will also be referred to therapy.<br /><br />Another difficulty using a talking analysis is that a majority of men in Western culture have some degree of difficulty describing their emotions. &nbsp;It’s not only not having the self-knowledge and vocabulary that slow the process, but culture itself teaches the male (and some females) to suppress outward displays of emotion seen as negative from a very early age.<br /><br />A common example is the response to ease the pain of a child. &nbsp;The child is placated and often told to be quiet. There is nothing wrong with that, but the trait strays into a possibly dysfunctional area when the suppression of the child’s emotional responses are continually reinforced. &nbsp;Examples of this might be, “suck it up” or “boys don’t cry.” <br /><br />The counseling experience becomes difficult when the male has to learn to express emotions and emotional states that have been closed off since childhood. The counselor is challenged when the patient can only provide the response, “I’m sad.” &nbsp;While the client takes the time to learn to emote and explore his emotions, the depressive cycle will continue. &nbsp;Thus feedback on the counseling experience will be less than satisfactory.<br /><br />If the patient (in this case the person experiencing medium to significant depression) can physically motivate themselves, activity is used to help moderate symptoms. &nbsp;The use of exercise is preferred to encourage the person to resume a healthy sleep cycle. &nbsp;The more the person has a habitual physical routine the better they are going to do during the recovery, which will shorten the process by lessening the symptomology. <br /><br />Here is where martial arts excel in the treatment of symptoms. &nbsp;Running, bicycling, swimming and lifting weights are great for a person, but in each case, when a plateau is reached, the time to spend thinking gets longer and longer. If a person is healthy, then this time is productive in the sense that they have time to sort and process. &nbsp;If they are not healthy, this time is where cyclical, negative spirals in thought patterns tend to foment.<br /><br />Martial arts, on the other hand, provide much of the same activity of the other sports, but adds a feature, the requirement to be present mentally. &nbsp;It’s a rare thing where the practitioner can participate in regular class work and think about much else. &nbsp;In schools with more conflict based practice, there is little more to focus on than what is occurring at the moment.<br /><br />The depression sufferer can find a few hours of solace from symptoms and in time can realize a positive feedback cycle in time. &nbsp;The more practice the better they are going to feel.<br /><br />In time, depending on the severity of the depression and the ability of the sufferer to address its cause, the lessening of symptoms will continue. &nbsp;However, it should be known that the path to recovery is always studded with set backs and pitfalls. &nbsp;The constant to this &nbsp;process should always be regular physical activity. &nbsp;The course of treatment may be irregular and even when the counselor and client believe they've come to a logical conclusion further visits may be required to address emerging issues.<br /><br />The best thing about a good martial arts school is the sense of shared activity and a feeling of a second family. Taking advantage of that environment to shore up one's emotional state is always recommended. <br /><br /><br />Bio: Potatoe Fist was a marriage and family counselor for ten years. &nbsp;He doesn't miss it all. &nbsp;He went into IT for a good reason. &nbsp;Thank god for all the beatings he took in his old school to help him through the hard times.<br /><br /><br />Related Links<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/08/toughness-emotional-connection-and-male.html" target="_blank">Toughness, Emotional Connection, and Male Depression</a></li></ul><br />External Links<br /><br /><ul><li><a href="http://oakleighmartialarts.com/blog/40817/Coping-with-anxiety-through-martial-arts" target="_blank">Coping with Anxiety through Martial Arts</a></li><li><a href="http://www.amadojo.net/combating-depression-martial-arts/" target="_blank">Combating Depression through Martial Arts</a></li></ul><br /><br />--<br />[ <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/p/testimonials.html">Testimonials</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jdklibrary/?ref=group_cover">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> ] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br />How does one get a mention on Traditional Taekwondo Perth? <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2007/06/how-does-one-get-mention-on-traditional.html">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/F0BoAwu5qXI" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/F0BoAwu5qXI/depression-symptoms-and-its-treatment.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/10/depression-symptoms-and-its-treatment.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-6371327073464787374Sun, 22 Oct 2017 23:00:00 +00002017-10-23T22:44:45.132+08:00PhilosophysparringtaekwondoExternal Qi Transmission<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GuCXOX-0rrU/WYpwDwpTgDI/AAAAAAAAGV4/2xx4m0qrkhoZH_3PNHuJade37WOsgkFyQCLcBGAs/s1600/DSC04753%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1283" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GuCXOX-0rrU/WYpwDwpTgDI/AAAAAAAAGV4/2xx4m0qrkhoZH_3PNHuJade37WOsgkFyQCLcBGAs/s320/DSC04753%2B-%2BCopy.JPG" width="256" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">(Almost) always switched on.</td></tr></tbody></table>Qi - the life force which is fundamental to Traditional Chinese Medicine, studied for over two thousand years, which is described by the Yin and Yang symbol, and which is most apparent in the early morning octogenarian activities - is not an area of study in Taekwondo.<br /><br />I don't do Kyusho jitsu so I fortunately am not part of the crowd faking people about 'no touch' knockouts. And no, I don't have '<a href="http://flowingzen.com/9073/external-qi-transmission/" target="_blank">Real Stories of External Qi Transmission</a>' to share.<br /><br />I do however believe in qi - and I also believe that there is more to it than those interminably slow self-healing exercises, or at the sharp end of acupuncture needles.<br /><br />What is martial arts? Aside from 'lots of pushups' or 'blocking and striking', it is the struggle for survival. It is the fight between you and your opponent. Sometimes your opponent is apparent, standing there in front of you. Sometimes the opponent is more than one person. Sometimes the opponent is in your mind.<br /><br />The struggle while being real or physical is also conceptual. It is a war of attrition. And your advantage rests on how much you are spiritually vested into it.<br /><br />When I am locked in struggle with an opponent, I am not only responding to visual stimuli. I also read feedback from physical contact points. But it goes beyond that - I sense three dimensional space. Is this just a trained ability to process all the moves he is telegraphing? Is it just combining the senses and one's intuition in a more efficient manner? Or is it that I am reading his spiritual intention? His 'external qi transmission'? However you may explain it, this helps me with decision making during encounters and helps me choose better tactical counters.<br /><br />Outside of the dojang, I would like to believe that I am well-adjusted socially, I have good humour, am quite friendly and approachable, and I know how to enjoy myself. Yet, there are many instances in recent years when people would use words like intimidating, scary, and competitive to describe me. This is highly incongruent to how I understand my own behaviour to be. But only incongruous to what I do and how I behave. If people are responding to the 'spiritual vestment' from training, the 'external qi transmission,' that might explain their reaction - for I can't switch it off.<br /><br />If you are looking towards improving your life through this training, I am able to guide you towards individuals who have a more rarefied understanding of this phenomena. Do not let preconceptions or personal bias stop you from exploring these areas. They may not correspond to scientific method but they are definitely part of the phenomenological world.<br /><br />Related Links<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2011/09/how-to-improve-reaction-time.html">How to improve reaction time</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2011/02/searching-out-hidden-secrets-of-martial.html">Searching out the hidden secrets of Martial Arts by Mireille Clark</a></li></ul>External Links<br /><br /><ul><li><a href="http://sooshimkwan.blogspot.com.au/2014/06/developing-sensitivity-to-ki.html" target="_blank">Developing a Sensitivity to Ki by Sanko Lewis</a></li></ul><br /><br />--<br />[ <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/p/testimonials.html">Testimonials</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jdklibrary/?ref=group_cover">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> ] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br />How does one get a mention on Traditional Taekwondo Perth? <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2007/06/how-does-one-get-mention-on-traditional.html">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/xskII9TL_sg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/xskII9TL_sg/external-qi-transmission.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/10/external-qi-transmission.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-1836355878885214453Sun, 15 Oct 2017 23:00:00 +00002017-10-16T07:00:00.182+08:00COGgenerating powertaekwondoRevisiting the Sine Wave for Tactical TrainingI practice a version of Taekwondo that was exported out of Korea in the mid '50s.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kgcJUW7nPtQ/WUzASKEeBfI/AAAAAAAAFKo/PtaZehqKvJASG1RsYIeCwFqsAQGevZXCACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/544525_455671097797402_1295597739_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kgcJUW7nPtQ/WUzASKEeBfI/AAAAAAAAFKo/PtaZehqKvJASG1RsYIeCwFqsAQGevZXCACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/544525_455671097797402_1295597739_n.jpg" /></a></div>That is, exported out of Korea before the formation of the ITF and WTF. Our patterns are done in long stances, we stress an equal emphasis on feet and hand strikes, and our timing and focus seem straight out of Karate 101 - All that thanks to our Chung Do Kwan lineage.<br /><br />While attending seminars, another difference that has been pointed out by my ITF brothers is that I have yet to adopt Taekwondo’s new Sine Wave concept. Thus it seems I’m not keyed in on the massive evolution of Taekwondo from the 1960s and onwards.<br /><br />The Sine Wave concept is one of the core components of a scientific approach modern Taekwondo instructors say defines Taekwondo. It is a power generation tactic which originally relied on a raise of one’s centre of gravity between techniques, ‘cocking’ the striking weapon fully and then dropping it when the strike is delivered. Apparently, a newer version of the Sine Wave exists which requires first a drop, then raise, before the final drop and delivery. It seems between these two, there are further variations that affect the timing and the amplitude of the drop.<br /><br />A quick search on YouTube will show numerous examples of proponents pumping their legs through their pattern demonstrations; rising and falling whilst emulating sine wave graphs you might find in a tertiary-level physics or maths textbook.<br /><br />Matching the number of Sine Wave proponents is the criticism of the Sine Wave from both non-Sine Wave Taekwondo practitioners and the wider martial arts community. Looking at a thread from one online forum shows the following general complaints:<br /><br /><ul><li>Dislike for the bounciness and robotic rhythm</li><li>Affects the stability of the stance</li><li>Doesn’t really help with the generation of additional power</li><li>Other ‘hard hitting’ martial arts don’t use such exaggerated motion</li><li>It slows you down</li></ul><br />They are of course right, and wrong.<br /><br />As a power generation tactic, the Sine Wave can be a legitimate technique that will generate power. How often have we heard the self-defence advice to ‘drop your body’ whilst striking? The body drop stabilises you to the ground and improves the skeletal structure supporting your striking tool.<br /><br />You can try this - strike a focus mitt with a heel palm whilst dropping your body with the strike. Irrespective of the body dropping perpendicularly to the strike, you strike harder when your body compresses and when a ‘lock down’ your muscles occurs at the point of impact. The effective mass behind your strike consists of your arm connected to your upper body in turn connected through your body core to your legs.<br /><br />If you had done the same standing upright and relaxed, your strike would have only been driven by arm strength. An arm-only strike would have been disconnected from the rest of the body without muscle ‘lock down,’ and upon impact would have rebounded, sending your upper body backward. Without the drop of your body, your centre of gravity would have been further away from the ground and thus the effective mass behind the strike would have been far less than if you had dropped your body to support your strike.<br /><br />Beyond this justification for power generation, I think the Sine Wave concept is a brilliant fit for the modern Taekwondo practitioner’s preference for high section and long range kicks. Stretching out for a high kick naturally lifts one side of your hip upwards, elevating your centre of gravity. After delivering such a kick, to drop your centre back down to reengage with upper body strikes requires the very same body drop the Sine Wave concept encourages.<br /><br />Unfortunately, while the Sine Wave can be a legitimate power generation technique, there are many other power generation techniques that are equally legitimate. I myself drop body weight all the time, though not necessarily for all strikes. The reason is this - my centre of gravity is kept low to the ground anyway, so when lunging forward to gap close, I don’t want the additional rise and drop which slows me down. So while some die hard Sine Wavers might feel badly for my backward ways, I feel I can still pride myself on the speed of linear movement.<br /><br />From a Traditional Taekwondo perspective, one thing that surprises me is this constant focus on the Sine Wave as a ‘new and improved’ power generation technique. In my curriculum, you don’t need to go very far beyond the basics to feel good hard-style power. To list our main power generation tactics, you have: a linear lunging motion, hip twist or vibration, shoulder rotation, dropping of centre of gravity, raising of centre of gravity (they don’t always go together,) body compression, body expansion, ‘pendulum’ swing, shearing of the arms, and a whipping action.<br /><br />I think the real challenge for Sine Wave proponents is to stop thinking of the Sine Wave as a be-all-end-all power generation catchphrase. What needs to happen is for proponents to figure out how dropping and raising your centre impacts combat effectiveness vis-à-vis the sophisticated kicks Taekwondo players are renown for. For example, why do boxers bob and weave? They don’t do this to generate power. They bob and weave to make it harder for an opponent to land strikes! They move so they can locate openings! Thinking this way would prompt a person to ask how would a kicker use the Sine Wave to support hand strikes or how will it increase the versatility of close quarter defences?<br /><br />In the following lists, I overview some advantages of body compression and expansion which are similar mechanics to Taekwondo’s Sine Wave motion. This is a brief description of what our school does in both self-defence and close quarter fighting. For example, when you drop your centre or compress the body, this helps techniques that are improved with gravity, like limb destruction techniques and takedowns. When you rise or expand the body, this may complement techniques like the rising block, an upset punch, or even a head butt.<br /><br />Body compression and expansion from a Traditional Taekwondo Perspective<br /><br /><b>Compression</b><br />(Apex to Trough)<br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Limb destruction techniques<br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Trapping of opponent’s hands<br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Takedowns or joint locks<br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Reduction of target area<br /><br /><b>Expansion</b><br />(Trough to Apex)<br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Rising strikes into face/neck/solar plexus<br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Use of non-orthodox weapons like headbutt, shoulder strikes<br />•<span style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Throws<br /><br />As an example, in a ‘self defence’ scenario, if someone made a grab for my shirt and pulled his arm back to strike, I could respond by striking the opponent’s arm with a downward forearm strike and body drop. As he falters forward I would then rise up and apply an upper block into his neck.<br /><br />On the other hand, applying the Sine Wave in sparring may prompt proponents to alternate between high and low section attacks using hand and leg combinations. This is as opposed to just relying on kick combinations and then throwing the occasional hand strike.<br /><br />The body compression and expansion I have mentioned above have been a part of my training ever since I was adopted into this lineage back in the early 90s. But ours isn’t a directive applied to pattern performance. It’s just a skill that complements tactics we use in our training.<br /><br />My conclusion is that the use of natural body movement and good martial principles has to be at the heart of any solid martial art practice. I know there are always those practitioners overly concerned with the cosmetics of their style. Do you think this has happened with the Sine Wave? Is this why it's been taken to the nth degree?<br /><br />In conclusion, the Sine Wave is not entirely misplaced, and I see opportunities where it can bring value to a practitioner. Again my own practice includes similar body dynamics; I’ve just chosen not to make too much of a fuss about it.<br /><br />Note: This article, originally titled "Is the Sine Wave a New Trick for this Old Dog?" was submitted and published in Totally Taekwondo Issue 35 January 2012. This document has been modified July 28 2017 and republished on this blog.<br /><br /><br />Upcoming Articles<br /><ul><li><span style="font-family: &quot;calibri&quot;;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">The Bruce Lee that I Knew</span></span></li></ul><ul></ul><br />Related Links <br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2008/11/only-true-taekwondo-practices-sine-wave.html" target="_blank">Only True Taekwondo Practices the Sine Wave</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2012/05/taekwondo-won-hyo-over-shoulder-throw.html" target="_blank">Taekwondo Won-hyo: Over the Shoulder Throw</a></li></ul>--<br />[ <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/p/testimonials.html">Testimonials</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jdklibrary/?ref=group_cover">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> ] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br />How does one get a mention on Traditional Taekwondo Perth? <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2007/06/how-does-one-get-mention-on-traditional.html">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/s44VLmdD9R8" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/s44VLmdD9R8/revisiting-sine-wave-for-tactical.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)8Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/10/revisiting-sine-wave-for-tactical.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-226814143481382500Sun, 08 Oct 2017 23:00:00 +00002018-11-19T10:26:07.718+08:00applicationsBassaiTalking About One TechniqueSensei Johannes Regell, Kissaki-Kai, Sweden<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Zjam-oIP1C0" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />I don't know Johannes.<br /><br />I just happened on some of his videos on FaceBook group <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/132902150206231/" target="_blank">Passai/Patsai/Bassai Dai-Sho</a>. What I like about this sensei and what he has produced - is the passion he exudes, and the quality of the video content. There are stylistic differences in what we both practice, but there are overlapping training areas as I do practice Bassai, which is a Traditional Taekwondo variant of the Okinawan Passai that Johannes practices.<br /><br />In this video above, I like to draw your attention to his lesson - and the fact he is working just one technique from the opening sequence of Passai. From experience in video-ing my lessons, I know for a fact that however much you show on a video, there are lengths of video that you cut out or omit from the final article. Meaning that from this one technique, Johannes has produced a quality lesson where he talks about pragmatic concepts and combative tools for 8 minutes - and probably in real time spent at least double if not triple that amount of time with his audience.<br /><br />Given the opportunity, and if he had more time, I'm sure he could extend this lesson incorporating different scenarios, and I reckon he could easily craft a session of a full 1.5 hour class (at least) devoted to this one technique alone.<br /><br />This is the point I've been making in some of my articles and videos - that the kata or hyung is not there to limit your worldview of what a technique is. There are fundamental skills you need to know, and the kata or hyung is there to inspire you to develop those skills. If you take that idea a step further, Johannes should be able to escape a simple wrist grab for instance, cork the guy in the thigh, and then do his takedown. Or he should be able to deal with a downward strike and follow through using his sequence. Or he should be able to escape a push onto a wall and then take the guy down. All using fairly standard and reusable skills from this and other kata he has.<br /><br />The instructor and the training is there to help you develop pragmatic skills - not just to emulate the technique sequence. Certainly not there to just teach you how to step through one kata.<br /><br />Notice too - the brilliant inclusion of the need to 'deescalate' the situation, the need to ensure safety of the person held in the head lock, and the respectful nature of how he's transacting with his uke. This is not only a skilled practitioner but an experienced instructor who is attempting to teach values, self defence principles, and inject some commonsense to his training environment.<br /><br />This one technique alone could save your life and be part of an excellent self defence toolkit - yet on the date I wrote this, his YouTube video only received 1000 over views. A simple search for the media circus that is the Connor McGregor v Mayweather Promo shows popularity way excess of 100,000 views. Where's the sense in that? I don't know about you, but there's more to life than seeing two overpaid characters mouth off at each other.<br /><br />Related Links<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/07/front-kick-counter-and-lessons-on.html" target="_blank">Front Kick Counter, and Lessons on Applications</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/05/why-karate-training-is-not-good.html" target="_blank">Why Karate Training is Not Good Training</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2016/09/being-too-literal-with-pattern.html" target="_blank">Being Too Literal with Pattern Applications</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/03/how-traditional-is-your-tradition.html" target="_blank">How Traditional is Your Tradition?</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2012/10/taekwondo-where-is-lock-from.html" target="_blank">Taekwondo - Where is that Lock from?</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/06/jdks-favourite-traditional-and-obsolete.html" target="_blank">JDK's Favourite Traditional and Obsolete Kick</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2010/03/handlocks-for-hard-stylists.html" target="_blank">Handlocks for Hard Stylists</a></li></ul><br />--<br />[ <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jdklibrary/?ref=group_cover">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> ] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/kJ0mKS_gCQs" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/kJ0mKS_gCQs/talking-about-one-technique.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/10/talking-about-one-technique.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-8575350270102697707Mon, 02 Oct 2017 23:00:00 +00002017-10-03T07:00:06.427+08:00AboutchildrenJDK's Longstanding Christmas Gift Idea ChallengeThis <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2008/09/christmas-gift-ideas.html" target="_blank">Christmas Gift Idea</a> challenge was first issued in 2008.<br /><br />We have now modified it to extend all year around. The idea is: you drop a relatively small deposit of $600 for two people to train, and if you make it to all our classes without missing two consecutive weeks, we pay this sum back to you IN FULL. This works out to a payment of just less than $30 per month of training.<br /><br />However - remember, if you make it to the end of the year, you get the entire deposit back.<br /><br />Take the challenge!<br /><h3>Perth Christmas Gift Idea Challenge - TRAIN FOR FREE FOR ONE YEAR!!!</h3><blockquote>The Traditional Taekwondo Perth Christmas Challenge is for you to bring yourself and your teenager (aged 13-19) down to JDK somewhere near Nedlands in Perth and&nbsp;<u>train with us for a full year for FREE</u>!&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>You buy the uniform. You attend classes. We take care of the rest!&nbsp;</blockquote><blockquote>How do you train for free? This is how it works - when you start and after you make it through our two-week probation period, you put a deposit of $600 for the both of you for our regular training sessions. This does not include any grading or other event fees (but I promise that won't break the bank). If you both make it to the end of the year, we give it back to you in full - no questions asked. If either of you quit or don't participate for two consecutive weeks of classes without a medical waiver (omitting family holidays), we get to keep the cash. Up for the challenge?</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">This offer is valid ANY TIME during the year - one pair per family. The day after Christmas for instance, if you feel like you're stuffed or hungover - you know where to come to detox. A month after the new year, and when your new year resolution just didn't cut it ... you know I'll be waiting for you.&nbsp;</blockquote><br />Related Links<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2008/11/teaching-taekwondo-to-children-and.html">Teaching Taekwondo Techniques to Children and getting them to kick right</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2008/09/hikaru-dojo-hosts-its-first-and-last.html">Our First and Last Martial Arts Birthday Party</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2008/08/young-children-training-in-taekwondo.html">Young Children Training in Taekwondo</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2008/08/fight-video.html">Little People Sparring</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2008/07/typical-sedentary-teen-gets-transformed.html">Typical Sedentary Teen Gets Transformed into Hardcore Martial Arts Fighter</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/06/you-are-teen-you-feel-misunderstood.html">You are a Teen. You feel misunderstood.</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/06/you-want-your-child-to-learn-discipline.html">You want your child to learn discipline</a></li></ul>--<br />[<a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Taekwondo Techniques</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://traditionaltaekwondo.blogspot.com/2010/11/faqs.html">FAQs</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> | <a href="http://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">FB</a>] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/kqrkYnmdo14" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/kqrkYnmdo14/jdks-longstanding-christmas-gift-idea.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/10/jdks-longstanding-christmas-gift-idea.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-5961538443479012835Sun, 01 Oct 2017 23:00:00 +00002018-12-11T10:16:23.968+08:00applicationsCoachingDo-santaekwondoThe Modernity of Yesterday is the Tradition of Today<blockquote class="tr_bq">The modernity of yesterday is the tradition of today, and the modernity of today will be the tradition tomorrow.<br /><div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/j/jose_andres.html" target="_blank">Jose Andres</a></div></blockquote>We do Traditional Taekwondo. I use that word 'Tradition' so often yet few pull me up on what tradition means to a garage dojang operating in Perth Western Australia.<br /><br />Go through the About page or my bio on this site and you see our lineage was transported out of Korea in the mid 20th century to the US. With that comes the contextual practice some of which harks back to Japan, and thus Okinawa, and parts of it holds the hopes for a new post-War Korea.<br /><br />Our practice seeks to celebrate and promote that lineage through the way we practice our hyung. In fact, the very choice of what hyung demarcates our historical context.<br /><br />However, as that quote goes - the modernity of yesterday is our tradition of today. The key phrase is 'modernity' - and the essence of that is that of being contemporary, of being relevant, and of addressing issues that are clear and present. This is what traditional practice should be - an application of tradition - forming a progressive system for our times.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/zONLN-OXqMg" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />Look at the above video. We are pulling out an 'application' from Dosan.<br /><br />The skill to check/trap, and then counter with backfist is an excellent skill for anyone to acquire. But push through, and incorporate an elbow roll inspired by a later sequence in the form, then a variation of the Double Palmok Markgi where you cater for a punch swung wide - and now we're venturing into territory of addressing a situation, and not a specific attack. The response is applied to what the opponent does to you. It's not simply the preservation of some sequence.<br /><br />Colin<br />--<br />[&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/p/testimonials.html">Testimonials</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTtxmXu7V442mzExnRSfg6A">YouTube</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a>&nbsp;]<br />Please support us by liking our Traditional Taekwondo Blog's FB page&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br />How does one get a mention on Traditional Taekwondo Perth?&nbsp;<a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2007/06/how-does-one-get-mention-on-traditional.html">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/3m_ax4o7eqg" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/3m_ax4o7eqg/the-modernity-of-yesterday-is-tradition.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/10/the-modernity-of-yesterday-is-tradition.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-4237763787400242794Sun, 24 Sep 2017 23:00:00 +00002017-09-25T07:00:12.228+08:00applicationsCoachingself defenceLearning Martial Arts from YouTube amounts to Sweet FA [NSFW]There is a s*** load of application videos on YouTube.<br /><br />It's NSFW but I use that expression because most of those applications don't amount to jack s***. Some of applications are okay. And a few of them are actually good.<br /><br />But even for those 'good' applications ... if you're not incorporating them into training, they are not going to do you any good. At all. Ever. Period.<br /><br />In fact, if you're not training them right, you might as well stick with that ol' jab cross combination, that front teep, and the roundhouse to the thigh. Seriously - there is greater benefit for you having a ready response than a questionable response. And for one example - I'm thinking of those hard style instructors trying to fumble their way through a wrist lock against one of their students holding a knife.<br /><br />Good training prepares a practitioner for an end goal. It incorporates fundamental skills, good drills that allow you to adapt, and mental training. It allows the practitioner to access a range of skills that work well together. So just taking some random application video from YouTube (or wherever) creates a small amount of utility. Yes, I'm not saying it's all bad.<br /><br />On the other side of this argument, if you're training your student and your application training doesn't gel with the rest of the skills you're training - you're screwed. Perhaps you don't understand me, so I'll put it in a different way ...<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><u>YOUR SCREWED</u></div><br />Yep, I've intentionally left out the apostrophe - because most people who have no idea of how to use a simple apostrophe will have little clue that they're signing a death warrant for their student. Go ahead, try and focus on that handlock without a clue how it adds to their fighting style. So they can perform it with for their grading. Big deal. Their opponent is going to smash their face in, pick up a weapon and then use it against them. How much value do you think that wrist lock is worth whilst your student is getting his head smashed in? Or stabbed.<br /><br />Get real folks.<br /><br />Colin<br /><br />Upcoming Posts<br /><ul><li>Oct 2 The Modernity of Yesterday is the Tradition of Today</li><li>Oct 9 Talking about One Technique</li><li>Oct 16 Rivisiting the Sine Wave for Tactical Opportunities</li></ul><br />Related Links<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/07/front-kick-counter-and-lessons-on.html" target="_blank">Front Kick Counter, and Lessons on Applications</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/05/why-karate-training-is-not-good.html" target="_blank">Why Karate Training is Not Good Training</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/05/dosan-spearhand-counter-against-counter.html" target="_blank">Dosan Spearhand the Counter Against Counter</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2016/08/variation-on-application.html" target="_blank">Variation on Application</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2012/05/knife-defence-by-hanshi-tim-white.html" target="_blank">Knife Defence by Hanshi Tim White</a></li></ul><br />--<br />[ <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jdklibrary/?ref=group_cover">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> ] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br /><br />Are you a Master Instructor? Please help us by completing this&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScyy9FHtKSBtk0D_0-GFl9TBtWb_vClyZMgeD2AvdcXzWKLgQ/viewform?usp=sf_link" target="_blank">survey</a>&nbsp;- exploring the myth that martial art experts withhold critical information from their students in order to guarantee self preservation.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/VFQZd-AZ_ew" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/VFQZd-AZ_ew/learning-martial-arts-from-youtube.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/09/learning-martial-arts-from-youtube.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-8069721252740559369Sun, 17 Sep 2017 23:00:00 +00002018-12-04T11:03:29.443+08:00PhilosophytaekwondoTen Ways to Spot a Fraud in the Martial ArtsI knew this one fraud in the martial arts who happens to be a highly intelligent martial artist. No, he doesn't practice Traditional Taekwondo. And no, he doesn't live in Perth, Western Australia.<br /><br />Let the word 'intelligent' sink in a little.<br /><br />Yes, you heard me right - he is an <u>intelligent</u> martial artist. In fact, at some time in his career he must have been an amazing instructor. He speaks well, explains his concepts clearly, has a good working knowledge of technical moves, but as he stands there and waffles on, you have this nagging suspicion he's become jaded with that fundamental knowledge.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pdrzBL2dHMI" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />So while able to converse in depth on subjects which may convey practical and effective combat methods, everything now issuing from him has to include some esoteric concept drawn from acupuncture, aikido, kyusho, dim mak, no touch knockout, or other vague oriental gobbledegook.<br /><br />That's a warning bell - as soon as he opens his mouth, you are struggling to understand how to use what the fraud is telling you. How would this new knowledge be used to defend you in a life and death struggle? The information seems so important - the man is an experienced martial artist, is convincing, and is backing his reasoning with a heap of arcane-sounding knowledge.<br /><br />Compare this to my instructor - when I went up against him in 2006, he was a 9th degree, and had become an old man with bad knees. I was in my mid 30s, knew my stuff, and I wasn't about to go light on him. Yet he beat me thoroughly - with better timing, good technique, and excellent control.<br /><h3>Ten Ways to Spot a Fraud in the Martial Arts</h3><ol><li>A fraud requires extensive elaborate and esoteric commentary about technique (almost always including the words chi or ki) to make it work.&nbsp;</li><li>Frauds need you to think of themselves as an infallible repository of martial knowledge.</li><li>The fraud thinks that the more you train, the more your hard style system needs to look like Steaven Seagal's Aikido in Under Seige.</li><li>Frauds love surrounding themselves with legit high-ranking practitioners.</li><li>Frauds often point out what they have done for other expert-level martial art instructors and fighters. Helping beginners struggling with basic moves is too pedestrian for them.</li><li>Frauds disappear when either a true expert or loud disbeliever appears.</li><li>Look at their uniform - it's spotless, almost shiny. Frauds will never test themselves.</li><li>Frauds will fail to try, will avoid mistakes, or will talk their way out of a mistake. Martial artists are real - mistakes are real - <u>and</u> <u>we</u> <u>address</u> <u>mistakes</u>. Not ignore them.</li><li>Frauds love their certificates and ranks. Either they're yammering on about their achievements or they've returned to a 'menkyo' system where they're just beyond it, and all other ranking is child's play to them. &nbsp;</li><li>To frauds, a well placed kick in the you-know-where is beneath them.</li></ol><div>Last, I'll leave you with some entertainment from YouTube - and perhaps you can see the related humour.<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/_QdPW8JrYzQ" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />Keep well my friends.<br /><br />And train hard.<br /><br />Related Links<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2011/10/allowing-rank-to-simplify-our-world.html" target="_blank">Allowing rank to simplify our world</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2011/07/ranking-system-and-delusions-of.html" target="_blank">The ranking system and illusions of grandeur</a></li><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2009/06/promotions-by-william-mioch.html" target="_blank">Promotions by William Mioch</a></li></ul></div>External Links<br /><ul><li><a href="https://www.facebook.com/FraudInMartialArts/" target="_blank">Fraud in the Martial Arts Awareness Society</a></li></ul><br />--<br />[ <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/jdklibrary/?ref=group_cover">YouTube</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> ] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/11aMS24Np5w" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/11aMS24Np5w/ten-ways-to-spot-fraud-in-martial-arts.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/09/ten-ways-to-spot-fraud-in-martial-arts.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7261308875817560474.post-1176861022873498545Sun, 10 Sep 2017 23:00:00 +00002017-09-11T07:00:02.170+08:00Coachinghardan markiself defenceCriticising the Low Block<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nXXqIJIOSjw" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />To be sure, I'm not really criticising the low block - I'm criticising my video 'Using Taekwondo's Down Block as Limb Destruction'. I'm also criticising the lack of negative feedback as people lap up what could be a poor approach to developing self defence skills by sticking to a by-the-numbers training exercise.<br /><br />In the video I'm shown stepping to the inside, deflecting oncoming strike, holding on to the proffered arm, and then performing a down block or hardan markgi to the extended limb. In later iterations of the move, I counter strike to the opponent's head before hitting the top of his forearm, and add in a headbutt when I'm up close.<br /><br />To be fair, there are some good takeaways here - the deflection of the striking arm, the ability to use the down block in a devastating strike to an extremity, and of course the introduction of a function for this basic technique which tends to be ignored by yellow belts and above.<br /><br />This video is public - yet no one has picked me up on why I chose to step inside the strike. Why would anyone in their right mind do that? And if ultimate relates to self defence why the adherence to a <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2011/10/taekwondo-one-step-sparring.html" target="_blank">regimented one-step framework</a> for the exercise?<br /><br />If the opponent is going to strike me, he's going to come barrelling into me, striking me with both hands. Tactically, I would prefer to be on the <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2012/10/walking-up-arm.html" target="_blank">outside and counter striking him</a>. If he has a weapon and striking to my centreline, that deflection is only going to work for maybe a split second, and then I'm going to have to deal with the secondary tool and the follow up strikes with the primary weapon.<br /><br />Of course there is the situation where I had no choice but to go to the inside. In which case, the above video should be contextually part of a larger series which shows how to control the limb and to fight back from exactly the position I have found myself in. Just compare this down block with the <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/05/drive-that-wedging-block-into-attacker.html" target="_blank">Wedging Block from Dosan</a> used in that position.<br /><br />All these videos and blog articles are great - but people need to be aware that training methodology hardly comes through from a specific video like this. Guard against thinking such a one shot approach covers it. Guard against the <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2012/09/had-enough-of-that-traditional-one-step.html" target="_blank">tradition-was-how-we-did-it</a> teaching. And you should question everything you see online - even if it comes from a well respected practitioner.<br /><br />Upcoming Articles<br /><ul><li>Sep 18 Ten Ways to Spot a Fraud in the Martial Arts</li><li>Sep 25 Learning Martial Arts from YouTube</li><li>Oct 2 The Modernity of Yesterday is the Tradition of Today</li></ul><br />Related Links<br /><ul><li><a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2012/04/tae-kwon-do-techniques-tae-kwon-do.html" target="_blank">Taekwondo Techniques: Forearm Block</a></li><li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFFpmB9mhxw" target="_blank">Helping Beginners Learn Hardan Markgi</a></li></ul><br /><br />--<br />[<a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/">Traditional Taekwondo Perth</a> | <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/TraditionalTaekwondo/">Subscribe</a> | <a href="http://traditionaltaekwondo.blogspot.com/2010/11/faqs.html">FAQs</a> | <a href="http://www.joongdokwan.com/2014/04/taekwondo-techniques-new-sitemap.html">Sitemap</a> | <a href="http://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">FB</a>] <br />Please support us by liking our FaceBook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/traditionaltaekwondotechniques">click here</a><br /><br />Are you a Master Instructor? Please help us by completing this&nbsp;<a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScyy9FHtKSBtk0D_0-GFl9TBtWb_vClyZMgeD2AvdcXzWKLgQ/viewform?usp=sf_link" target="_blank">survey</a>&nbsp;- exploring the myth that martial art experts withhold critical information from their students in order to guarantee self preservation.<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~4/KB5bZLEa5EI" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TraditionalTaekwondo/~3/KB5bZLEa5EI/criticising-low-block.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Colin Wee)0Perth WA, Australia-31.9505269 115.86045719999993-32.8119469 114.56956369999993 -31.0891069 117.15135069999992http://www.joongdokwan.com/2017/09/criticising-low-block.html